The body of a 31-year-old independent journalist, missing since January 1, was found in a septic tank on Friday evening from Bijapur's Chattanpara Basti in Chhattisgarh. The death of Mukesh Chandrakar, who was a contributing reporter at NDTV, has sent shockwaves across the region and the journalism fraternity.
The Bijapur police confirmed that Mukesh's body was discovered in a septic tank that had been freshly sealed with concrete.
His swollen body, which bore multiple injuries to the head and back, was identified by his clothes. The police, acting on Mukesh's last known mobile location, traced him to the yard of a contractor, Suresh Chandrakar, where the grim discovery was made.
"The contractor's employees live on the premises, and several people, including Suresh Chandrakar, are being questioned. We are investigating if Mukesh's death is linked to any of his recent stories," said Superintendent of Police Jitendra Yadav.
Three people have been arrested in the case, the police said.
Mukesh Chandrakar also ran a successful YouTube channel called Bastar Junction, which had 1.59 lakh subscribers and focused on issues in the Bastar region.
Mukesh and his brother Yukesh Chandrakar, who also is a journalist, lost their parents at a young age. The brothers supported each other in their careers.
Known for his fearless reporting, Mukesh, in April 2021, played a crucial role in securing the release of CRPF CoBRA commando Rakeshwar Singh Manhas, who was kidnapped by Maoists.
The journalist left his home on January 1, wearing a T-shirt and shorts. His phone was switched off shortly after. When he failed to return home, his brother Yukesh began searching for him at friends' homes and across the city, ultimately filing a missing person report with the police.
The discovery of the journalist's body has left his family and the community devastated.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai condoled the journalist's death and assured that the "culprit will not be spared".
"The news of the murder of Bijapur's young and dedicated journalist Mukesh Chandrakar ji is extremely sad and heartbreaking. Mukesh ji's departure is an irreparable loss for the journalism world and society. The culprit of this incident will not be spared under any circumstances. Instructions have been given to arrest the criminals as soon as possible and ensure they receive the harshest punishment," the Chief Minister posted on X.
The Press Club of India condemned Mr Chandrakar's death and demanded action from the state government.
"The Press Club of India is shocked to learn about the murder of Bijapur (Chhattisgarh) based young freelance journalist Mukesh Chandrakar. We strongly condemn the killing and demand time-bound action against the perpetrators. The club also requests the Press Council of India to take cognisance of the matter and demand that the state government take appropriate action," the PCI said in a statement.
Editors Guild of India said it was "deeply disturbed" by the young freelance journalist's "suspected murder", adding that he had recently "reported on an alleged road construction scam that prompted local authorities to investigate some contractors".
"The young journalist's death is a matter of grave concern as it raises suspicion of foul play. The Editors Guild calls on the government of Chhattisgarh to spare no efforts in investigating the case speedily and bringing the guilty to book. The safety of journalists - especially those working in smaller towns and rural areas - is of paramount importance, and the Editors Guild demands that authorities across the country must do their best to ensure that no harm or hindrance is caused to any of them in discharging their professional duties," said Editors Guild in a statement.
