Meghalaya coal mine blast: cremated labourer returns home in Assam
Sribhumi/Hailakandi (PTI): A labourer reported dead in the East Jaintia Hills coal mine explosion in Meghalaya has returned home in Assam's Sribhumi district, officials said on Saturday.
The incident has prompted police forces of both the neighbouring states to launch a joint probe into the circumstances surrounding the labourer’s unexpected return after the blast.
"The labourer reached his home at Muliala village in Sribhumi district's Ramkrishna Nagar circle on Thursday. This sent a shockwave as already a body had 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 blast victims' faces were damaged beyond recognition. His family identified one body as his," the official said.
The authorities then brought the body to his native place and it was cremated as per Hindu rituals, he added.
"Meghalaya and Assam police have jointly started an investigation into the chain of events. We cannot say anything further as it is a very sensitive matter and under probe," the official said.
He also said the family has been requested 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 at Thangsku area of Mynsngat village in East Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya on February 5 has claimed at least 31 lives.
Meghalaya Police has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the explosion at the mine.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had also announced that a judicial inquiry commission would ascertain the circumstances leading to the blast and fix responsibility for the incident.
On February 9, the state government had called off 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.
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Kumaraswamy rebukes West Bengal govt over 'protocol lapses' during Prez Murmu visit
Bengaluru (PTI): Taking exception to the alleged protocol lapses during President Droupadi Murmu's visit to West Bengal, Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday said the differences in political ideology can never justify disregard for constitutional offices that command universal respect across the country.
The JD(S) leader emphasised that in a mature democracy, every government, irrespective of party affiliation, should uphold the dignity of institutions that safeguard our constitutional framework.
President Murmu had expressed displeasure and anguish over alleged protocol lapses during her recent Siliguri visit, citing a last-minute venue change for the Santal conference and the absence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the state ministers during her reception.
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In a post on X, Kumaraswamy said, "Insulting the President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu avaru, is nothing short of an affront to the Constitution itself. The office of the President symbolises the sovereignty, unity and dignity of our Republic, and it stands above all political considerations."
Warning that any discourtesy shown to the nation’s highest constitutional authority undermines the very spirit of democratic institutions and sets a deeply troubling precedent, he said, "differences in political ideology can never justify disregard for constitutional offices that command universal respect across the country."
"The honour of the President’s office must remain inviolable and beyond the realm of partisan politics," he added.
Echoing these sentiments, State BJP President B Y Vijayendra said he was "deeply pained" by the manner in which President Droupadi Murmu was treated in West Bengal.
In a post on 'X', he said, "The anguish expressed by the First Citizen of India marks a deeply disturbing moment for our Constitutional Democracy. By disregarding established protocol and shifting the venue of the International Santal Conference, the All India Trinamool Congress Government in West Bengal has not only shown disrespect to the Presidency but has also undermined our proud tribal heritage."
"President Murmu Ji’s life is itself a living symbol of the strength and pride of India’s tribal communities, and to disrespect her in such a setting is to dishonour the millions of tribal citizens whose aspirations and identity she represents," he added.
Noting that disrespecting the Head of State is nothing short of disrespecting the Constitution itself, Vijayendra said, the TMC government’s conduct reflects a deeply worrying pattern of disregard for constitutional norms and institutional dignity.
"Those responsible must be held accountable, and it must be made absolutely clear that the office of the President of India stands beyond the reach of political negligence and arrogance. India’s democracy demands nothing less," he added.
