Declared dead in Meghalaya coal mine blast, Sribhumi worker returns alive
Efforts are underway to match the details of the cremated body with other workers reported missing after the explosion
Rescue operations were called off on Feb 9 after Meghalaya coal mine blast that killed 30 (Photo: PTI)
Sribhumi, Feb 14: A coal mine labourer from Ratabari in Sribhumi district, who was declared dead following an explosion in an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills and subsequently cremated by his family, returned home alive three days later, on Saturday.
Shyambabu Sinha, a resident of Lengtapara village under Ratabari Police Station, had travelled to Meghalaya about a month ago in search of work.
He was employed at a coal mine in Thangsko and was reported missing after the February 5 explosion at the site, which left 31 workers dead.
Mine worker Shyambabu Sinha. (AT Photo)
Based on preliminary information following the blast, his relatives travelled to Meghalaya to search for him.
Authorities at Khliehriat Civil Hospital later informed the family that a body kept in the morgue had been identified as Sinha.
Family members identified the body and brought it back to their village, where last rites were performed according to religious customs.
Three days later, while the family was observing shraddha rituals, Sinha appeared at his residence.
According to sources, family members and villagers were initially stunned before realising he was alive.
Shyambabu’s wife, Shamoli Sinha, said the family had identified the body based on specific physical marks.
“There was an infection in one of the fingers on the right hand and there was also a mark in the middle of the stomach. The same marks were there in the dead body. The face was identifiable, but we identified him through the marks and took the mortal remains,” she said.
She added that the cremation had been completed and the shraddha rituals were over when he returned.
“He came 10 minutes after the rituals ended,” she said, adding that due to the gathering of people, he has not been able to speak at length about the incident.
Subal Sinha, his elder brother, said the family had spent three days in Meghalaya searching for him.
“After the incident, we went to the spot and stayed there for three days. We searched Khliehriat and Shillong Civil Hospital to identify my brother. Finally, we received the dead body from the hospital,” he said.
Meghalaya Police, in coordination with Ratabari Police Station, have initiated an inquiry to determine how the misidentification occurred.
Efforts are underway to match the details of the cremated body with other workers reported missing after the explosion.