The body of a missing journalist was found in a septic tank in India, raising concerns over safety for investigative reporters.
Bijapur: So, this is a pretty shocking story. A missing journalist’s body was found in a septic tank, and it’s linked to a guy he was investigating for corruption. The police say Mukesh Chandrakar, who was just 28, had been missing since New Year’s Day.
He was a freelance journalist running a YouTube channel called Bastar Junction. His work had uncovered some serious issues with a big road construction project in the Bastar region, which is known for its Maoist activity. This got the government looking into things.
Police tracked down his last known meeting to a property owned by Ritesh Chandrakar, the brother of a contractor Mukesh had reported on. His brother, Yukesh, got worried when he couldn’t reach him and filed a missing persons report.
After some investigation, they found Mukesh’s body inside a newly floored septic tank. It looked like he had been attacked, which is just heartbreaking. The police arrested the contractor, Suresh Chandrakar, as the main suspect in this awful crime.
They also took in Ritesh, Dinesh, and another guy named Ramteke. It’s all pretty intense. The police said that Ritesh and Mukesh had a fight over some construction issues, and things escalated from there.
Chhattisgarh’s chief minister expressed his sorrow over the loss, calling it a huge blow to journalism. He promised that the culprits would face serious consequences. There’s even a special investigation team set up to speed things along.
Local journalists are really upset about this and have been protesting, demanding justice. Mukesh was known for his bravery, even helping to secure the release of a police commando who was kidnapped by Maoists a couple of years back.
It’s a tough time for journalists in Chhattisgarh, a place that’s rich in resources but plagued by corruption and violence. Sadly, India ranks pretty low in press freedom, which is a big concern for everyone.
