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.