Mukesh Chandrakar: Indian media bodies seek probe into murder of journalist
Al Jazeera
Three arrested after Mukesh Chandrakar’s body found on January 3 in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur stuffed in a septic tank.
India’s media watchdog and other journalism organisations have demanded a thorough investigation after the body of a freelance journalist, who had exposed alleged corruption in a road construction project, was found stuffed in a septic tank in Bijapur in the central state of Chhattisgarh.
Police have arrested at least three people, including two of his cousins, in connection with the murder of Mukesh Chandrakar, 28.
Chandrakar had reported widely on corruption and Maoist rebellion in the mineral-rich state. He ran a popular YouTube channel “Bastar Junction”.
The Press Council of India expressed “concern” over Chandrakar’s killing, calling for a report on the “facts of the case” in a statement late on Saturday.
The Editors Guild of India also said it was “deeply disturbed” by the development. “The safety of journalists – especially those working in smaller towns and rural areas – is of paramount importance,” it said in a statement.
