New Delhi, January 9, 2025—Indian authorities must ensure justice for murdered Indian journalist Mukesh Chandrakar, whose body was found in a septic tank on January 3, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday.
Mukesh Chandrakar, a freelance reporter, was last seen in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh on January 1. His brother reported him missing the following day. On January 3, the journalist’s mutilated body was discovered on a property owned by his cousin, contractor Suresh Chandrakar.
The contractor and three other suspects were arrested on January 4 and 5 and remanded in custody for 14 days on January 6.
In late December, the news channel NDTV had aired Mukesh Chandrakar’s investigation into alleged corruption in a 1.2 billion rupee (US$12 million) road project, which implicated Suresh Chandrakar and prompted a state government inquiry.
“The murder of Mukesh Chandrakar, whose reporting exposed alleged corruption in public infrastructure projects, is a tragic reminder of the dangers faced by Indian journalists in small towns and rural areas,” said CPJ Program Director Carlos Martinez de la Serna. “Protecting vulnerable journalists is vital for preserving press freedom and democracy.”
Mukesh Chandrakar reported on local issues such as the local Naxalite-Maoist insurgency on his YouTube channel Bastar Junction, in addition to freelancing for other outlets.
Mayank Gurjar, head of a police Special Investigation Team set up by the state government to investigate the murder, told CPJ that the four suspects were charged with murder, conspiracy, destruction of evidence, and other offenses under India’s criminal code.
“At this stage we cannot pinpoint a single motive. While the victim’s journalistic work is a possible consideration, we cannot confirm this as the definitive reason until our investigation is complete,” said Gurjar.