India, Feb. 6 -- At least 18 bodies have been recovered after an explosion ripped through an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills, as rescue teams continued to comb the remote site on Thursday amid mounting questions about the persistence of banned mining practices in the state.

Police said the blast happened inside an unauthorised mine in the Mynsngat-Thangskai area, under the jurisdiction of Umpleng police outpost. Vikash Kumar, superintendent of police for East Jaintia Hills, said officers rushed to the location after receiving information early in the morning that several workers were trapped underground.

"During the course of the rescue operation, a total of 18 dead bodies have been recovered from the site of the exp...