A labourer who was reported dead in the East Jaintia Hills coal mine explosion in Meghalaya has returned home in Sribhumi district, Assam, according to officials on Saturday.
The incident has prompted police forces from both neighbouring states to launch a joint investigation into the circumstances surrounding the labourer's unexpected return after the blast.
"The labourer reached his home in Muliala village in the Ramkrishna Nagar circle of Sribhumi district on Thursday. This caused shock, as a body had already been cremated," a senior official of the district administration told PTI.
The family of the 44-year-old Shyambabu Singha had gone to Meghalaya to locate him after the blast, as his phone was unreachable, he added.
"His wife and daughter were taken to the hospital by the local authorities there after Singha could not be located. Due to the blast, most of the victims' faces were severely damaged, making identification difficult. His family was able to identify one body as his," the official said.
The body was then brought to his native place and cremated according to Hindu rituals, he added.
"The Meghalaya and Assam police have jointly started an investigation into the events. We cannot say anything further as it is a very sensitive matter and under investigation," the official said.
He also said that the family has been asked not to speak to the media due to the unexpected development and until a clear picture emerges.
An explosion at an illegal rat-hole coal mine in the Thangsku area of Mynsngat village in East Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya on February 5 claimed at least 31 lives.
The Meghalaya Police have constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the explosion at the mine.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had also announced that a judicial inquiry commission would investigate the circumstances leading to the blast and determine responsibility for the incident.
On February 9, the state government called off the search and rescue operations at the blast site after assessment teams concluded that there was no further possibility of locating survivors trapped inside the mine.
The state government has assured the Meghalaya High Court that strict action will be taken against those involved in running the illegal mine, and that four persons have been arrested.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had banned rat-hole mining in 2014. However, coal is still extracted through this dangerous method in the Northeast.
