Well-known Chattisgarh-based journalist Mukesh Chandrakar was found dead on Friday, January 3, in a septic tank in Bijapur district, on the premises of a corruption-accused contractor who he had recently exposed.
The journalist’s family has reportedly said that the deceased journalist has been facing death threats after exposing a scam in a road project in the state, through his ground-reports.
Mukesh Chandrakar, 36, has been running a popular YouTube news channel ‘Bastar Junction’, and has been well-known for reporting the Maoist conflict, and corruption in the region, and has been a stringer for mainstream news channels including NDTV.
Mukesh was last seen on January 1, shortly after receiving a call from the local contractor’s cousin who said he wanted to meet Mukesh. The deceased journalist’s mobile phone had been switched off since 12:30 am on Wednesday, Hindustan Times reported.
Suspicious over his brother not returning home, Yukesh, who is also a TV journalist, filed a missing person complaint. The police began an investigation after the complaint.
It was revealed that Mukesh’s phone signals were last located near the premises of the local contractor Suresh Chandrakar in Chattanpara Basti in Bijapur district, who Mukesh had exposed recently. The police reportedly found a septic tank that was freshly cemented and sealed. Mukesh Chandrakar’s body was found within, reportedly with multiple injuries on his back and neck.
Mukesh Chandrakar’s body was sent for a post-mortem, and the police are questioning several individuals concerning the suspected murder of the journalist. The Bastar police said that they would release more information as the investigation progresses.
