Indian media groups call for investigation after body of journalist found in septic tank | India

Indian media rights groups have called for an investigation after the body of a missing journalist was found hidden in a septic tank.

Mukesh Chandrakar, 32, was a well-known freelance journalist in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, who contributed to some of the country’s biggest news channels. He had also widely exposed allegations of corruption in the construction sector on his popular YouTube channel.

His family had reported Chandrakar missing on New Year’s Day. On Friday, police found his body at a construction contractor’s compound in Bijapur town.

According to local police, his body was found in a septic tank covered with newly laid concrete slabs. Officers said Chandrakar’s body showed signs of a blunt force attack, indicating foul play in his murder.

Police told Indian media they suspected Chandrakar’s death was linked to a recent report he wrote on an alleged road construction scam in Bijapur that led to a police investigation.

So far, three people have been arrested in connection with Chandrakar’s death and another of the main suspects, Suresh Chandrakar, owner of the construction complex where Chandrakar’s body was found, remains at large, the police said. police.

The discovery of his body sparked a wave of anger among Indian press watchdogs and local journalists, who protested in the state. In a statement, the Press Council of India expressed concern over Chandrakar’s alleged murder and demanded a report on the “facts of the case”.

President of the local Bastar Journalists’ Association, Manish Gupta, called the incident a “dark chapter” and called on the police and the government to provide better security to journalists working in dangerous environments in the state.

Vishnu Deo Sai, the Chhattisgarh chief minister of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, called Chandrakar’s death “heartbreaking” and promised the “severest punishment” for those responsible.

India remains a very dangerous country for journalists, according to global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders, with 28 journalists killed in the past decade because of their reporting.