Shillong,Feb 15:Seven persons were arrested in connection with the Mynsngat-Thangsko coal mine incident in East Jaintia Hills, police said on Sunday.
On February 14, two persons identified as Earnest Swer and Rangsing Syiemlieh alias Mithun were arrested taking the number of those arrested in the case to 7.
Others are Forme Chyrmang, Shameki War, Process Phawa, Tensing Suchiang, and Yoomiki Syih.
Seven more persons were arrested in the aftermath of 62 FIRs against illegal extraction of coal in the East Jaintia Hills district since January 1, this year.
The arrested accused in the other three cases have been identified as Sahanaj Uddin and Abansan Syrti (Umthe case), Narayan Majumdar, Salim Uddin Choudhury and Safrul Islam Choudhury (Umpleng case) and Rishna Sutnga and Skhemborlang Kshiar (in Umkiang case).
The information forms part of the report on February 14, following the NGT directive post Mynsngat- Thangsko incident.
Out of the 62 FIRs filed against illegal extraction of coal, five were before the Mynsngat-Thangsko blast.
An additional five FIRs were filed regarding illegal transportation of coal, and two incidents of seizure of explosives suspected to be used for mining.
The arrested accused in the other three cases have been identified as Sahanaj Uddin and Abansan Syrti (Umthe case), Narayan Majumdar, Salim Uddin Choudhury and Safrul Islam Choudhury (Umpleng case) and Rishna Sutnga and Skhemborlang Kshiar (in Umkiang case).
Authorities have also seized 15,224.72 metric tonnes of assessed coal, with more material awaiting evaluation by the Department of Mineral Resources.
Seizures further include five vehicles, 25.5 kg of gelatin explosives and 74 detonators.
The crackdown follows heightened scrutiny of rat-hole mining in Meghalaya, where the NGT’s 2014 ban remains in force
