SC dissatisifed with efforts by Meghalaya govt to rescue 15 trapped miners; says bring them out dead or alive

The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed strong dissatisfaction over the rescue efforts to trace 15 people trapped in a mine in Meghalaya for 22 days, telling the state government to bring them out dead or alive.

The tough talk by the apex court came on a day when the multi-agency operations to rescue the miners failed to make any headway with efforts to pump the water out of the mine not yielding any result.

The 15 miners remain trapped in the 370-foot-deep illegal rat-hole coal mine in Lumthari village of East Jaintia Hills district since December 13 after water from a nearby river gushed in.

"For people who are trapped there, every minute counts," the court said and suggested that the help of the Army could be also taken.

Holding that "prompt, immediate and effective" operation is needed to rescue the trapped people, the court said there should not be any delay as it was a question of life and death. "We pray to God that they all are alive."