a freelance journalist who had reported on alleged corruption
The body of an Indian journalist who had reported on alleged corruption in the country was found in a septic tank in Chhattisgarh.
Mukesh Chandrakar went missing on New Year’s Day and his family filed a complaint.
Officers tracked his mobile phone and eventually found his body on January 3, 2025, in the compound of a road construction contractor in the town of Bijapur.
According to police, Mr Chandrakar’s body was found in a septic tank and concrete slabs had been placed on top of it.
Officers said the journalist’s body showed evidence of blunt force, suggesting foul play.
Mr Chandrakar was a freelance journalist who had reported on alleged corruption in public construction projects.
He also ran the YouTube channel Bastar Junction.
The Press Council of India have called for a report “on the facts of the case” from the state’s government.
Mr Chandrakar’s death has prompted anger among Indian press watchdogs and local journalists, who held a protest.
Manish Gupta, the president of the local Bastar Journalist Association, described the incident as a “dark chapter” and called on the police and government to provide better safety to journalists working in dangerous environments in the state.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai called Mr Chandrakar’s death “heartbreaking” and promised the “harshest punishment” for those found responsible.
So far, three people have been arrested in connection with the journalist’s death. It is reported that one of those arrested is his cousin.
One of the main suspects, Suresh Chandrakar, who owned the construction compound where Mr Chandrakar’s body was found, is still on the run.
Chhattisgarh, rich in minerals but mired by corruption and violence, remains one of India’s most perilous regions for journalists.
Attacks on journalists reporting on corruption or environmental degradation are not uncommon in India.
In May 2022, Subhash Kumar Mahto, a freelance journalist known for his reporting on people involved in illegal sand mining, was fatally shot in the head by four unidentified men outside his home in Bihar.
Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders has said that an average of three or four journalists are killed in connection with their work in India every year, making it one of the world’s most dangerous countries for the media.
India ranks 159 in the World Press Freedom Index out of 180 countries, according to Reporters Without Borders.
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