6 Migrant Workers from Assam Killed in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills

SHILLONG: Six migrant workers from Assam died in a forest in Meghalaya after falling into a pit on Friday.

As per latest updates, the migrant workers all hailing from Assam fell into a 150-feet pit in a forest in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills.

All victims are from Ratabari area in Assam's Karimganj district.

Reportedly all the coal mine workers were digging a tunnel on late Thursday evening, January 21 in one of the coal mines near Rymbai village, however, government sources said there is no coal mine in the area and the workers were involved in cutting and shaping hard soil for other purposes.

Meanwhile, speaking to media, Deputy Commissioner of East Jaintia Hills District, E Kharmalki said that the accident happened at a coal mine at Sarkari near Rymbai village.

The victims have been identified as- Mokbul Hussain, Ali Hussain, Dilwar Hussain, son of Makmodur Rahman and Jalaluddin, son of Majaid Ali, all from Jalalabad village under Ratabari police station in Karimganj district.

The bodies were retrieved and were sent to the Community Health Centre in Khliehriat in East Jaintia Hills district for post-mortem.

It is to be mentioned that this is the same district where 15 men disappeared inside an illegal rat-hole mine after it collapsed in December 2019.

In other news, the 'Arunachal Voice against Black Marketing' (AVABM) submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Pema Khandu demanded that Geology & Mining Minister Komlung Mossang be dropped from his post within 15 days.

The AVABM added in the memorandum submitted on Wednesday, "Despite being a senior Minister of the State and local MLA of the area concerned, Mossang has failed to put an end to illegal mining in the area".

The organization said that the rapid coal mining in the area has adversely affected the people residing nearby the mine areas. The mining has also affected the water, soil and air quality in the area, it added.

The organization had organized a series of democratic movements earlier demanding that the State government must initiate steps to stop the illegal coal mining in the areas of Kharsang and Namchik within Changlang district.

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