Mukesh Chandrakar, a freelance journalist known for his critical reporting on public construction corruption, was discovered dead in a septic tank after going missing. His demise has sparked outrage and demands for justice amid ongoing threats to journalists in India.
Indian Journalist Found Dead: Shocking Discovery Highlights Risks of Reporting Corruption
Indian Journalist Found Dead: Shocking Discovery Highlights Risks of Reporting Corruption
The body of Mukesh Chandrakar, a journalist who reported on corruption, was found in a septic tank in Chhattisgarh, prompting calls for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
The body of an Indian journalist who had been missing since New Year's Day has been tragically found in a septic tank in Chhattisgarh state, raising serious concerns about journalist safety in the country. Mukesh Chandrakar, 32, known for his investigations into alleged corruption in public construction projects, was reportedly last seen on January 1st, leading his family to file a missing persons report.
Law enforcement officials discovered his remains on Friday in the confines of a road construction contractor's property in Bijapur. Following a mobile phone tracking investigation, police were led to the site where Chandrakar's body was concealed beneath freshly laid concrete slabs covering the septic tank. Authorities have arrested three suspects in connection with his murder, including two of his relatives, while one key suspect, Suresh Chandrakar, the compound owner and a relative of the deceased, remains at large.
The gruesome nature of the discovery—Chandrakar's body exhibited severe injuries consistent with a blunt-force attack—has spurred widespread outrage. The Press Council of India has demanded an official report on the incident from the state’s government, while local media professionals organized protests to call for urgent action against the alleged perpetrators.
The chief minister of Chhattisgarh expressed deep sorrow over Chandrakar’s death, labeling the situation as "heartbreaking." In response to public outcry, a special investigation team has been assigned to examine the case more thoroughly.
The fate of journalists in India reporting on corruption continues to be a pressing issue. Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders indicates that an average of three to four journalists are killed each year in India as a result of their work, making the nation one of the most perilous environments for media personnel globally. In a related incident, another journalist, Subhash Kumar Mahto, was murdered last year for exposing illegal sand mining activities, underscoring the continuous threats faced by independent reporters throughout the country.
