Missing Chhattisgarh journalist, 28, found dead in contractor’s septic tank: Police

Mukesh Chandrakar, who had facilitated release of a CRPF commando held by Maoists in April 2021, had gone missing on January 1

RAIPUR: A 28-year-old journalist, who had gone missing after going to meet a road contractor’s brother, was found murdered in south Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Friday.

Mukesh Chandrakar had lost his parents when he was very young and is survived by his brother Yukesh, also a journalist.

The television journalist, Mukesh Chandrakar’s body was found in a septic tank on the premises of the local road contractor in Bijapur town, police said.

Chandrakar, a television journalist who had reported from the Bastar region for NDTV, also founded a YouTube channel, Bastar Junction.

Police said Chandrakar went missing on January 1 shortly after receiving a call from a local contractor’s cousin.

A person aware of the matter said Mukesh told a journalist in Raipur about the phone call and that the contractor’s brother wanted to meet him.

Police said Mukesh’s phones were switched off at about 12.30 am on January 1 and he did not return home.

Chandrakar is survived by his brother, Yukesh, and the two had lost their parents when they were very young. Chandrakar’s brother, who is also a journalist, lodged a missing complaint on January 2 after waiting for his brother to show up.

IG Bastar P Sundarraj said a special team was set up to trace the journalist after his brother’s complaint.

His last known mobile location was traced to the premises of a contractor Suresh Chandrakar in Chattanpara Basti where the police found a septic tank that had been freshly sealed with concrete.

Subsequently, police broke open the tank and Mukesh’s body, with what appeared to be multiple injuries on his head and back.

Superintendent of Police, Jitendra Yadav said many people including Suresh Chandrakar were being questioned “because the body was found on his premises”.

Police said it was being examined if Mukesh’s death was linked to stories that he had done in recent times.

In April 2021, Mukesh was counted among those credited by the state police for playing an important role in securing the release of commando Rakeshwar Singh Manhas of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)’s CoBRA unit who was taken captive by Maoists.

“As a journalist, my colleague paid the ultimate price for exposing the truth. It is a stark reminder of the risks journalists take daily in pursuit of accountability. We stand in solidarity with his family, and we demand a swift and impartial investigation to bring those responsible to justice. His sacrifice will not be in vain, and we will continue his fight for transparency and justice.” said NDTV’s resident editor, Anurag Dwary.

Chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai said that the accused will not be spared and will soon be arrested. “The loss of Mukesh Ji is an irreparable loss to the field of journalism and society. The culprits of this incident will not be spared under any circumstances. We have instructed the authorities to arrest the accused at the earliest and ensure the strictest punishment,” Sai said in a statement.

Chhattisgarh Congress president Deepak Baij strongly condemned the murder. “The horrific spree of murders that began in the capital has now reached Bastar. During the Chief Minister’s presence in Bastar, the wife of a doctor was murdered in Jagdalpur. The crumbling law and order in the state is now targeting the fourth pillar of democracy. Journalists are paying the price for their impartial reporting with their lives. The journalist’s body was found in a septic tank in Sai Raj,” Baij said.