At least 13 labour were trapped in an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district, located at a distance of 97 kilometers from the State Capital, Shillong.
Police officials suspect all the 13 trapped labour might have died.
Allegedly, the coal mine was filled with water when the labour were digging it. The mine soon collapsed.
The coal mine is located at Ksan village under Saipung police station close to Lytein River.
A case has been filed against the coal mine owners.
The incident violated National Green Tribunal's (NGT) order in 2014. The NGT has banned unscientific and unsafe coal mining in Meghalaya since April, 2014.
Following a complaint by an Assam-based NGO, the NGT imposed the ban on hazardous coal mining. The NGO contended that mining in the upstream areas has polluted waters in a river that flowed down to Assam.