Chhattisgarh journalist murder: Cousin identified key accused, SIT to initiate probe
PTC News Desk: The body of a 31 year old independent journalist who was missing since January 1 was found in a septic tank on Friday in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur's Chattanpara Basti and police has identified his cousin as key accused.
The deceased has been identified as Mukesh Chandrakar, a 28-year-old journalist who is known for his hard-hitting investigative reports. He was also a contributing reporter at NDTV. Police has arrested three people in the case so far.
"The contractor's employees live on the premises, and several people, including Suresh Chandrakar, are being questioned. We are investigating if Mukesh's death is linked to any of his recent stories," said Superintendent of Police Jitendra Yadav.
Mukesh's murder has send shockwaves across the nation with entire media fraternity expressing grave concern over the safety of the journalists and condemning the incident.
The Editors Guild of India swiftly condemned the incident, terming it a “deeply disturbing” case of suspected murder. In a statement Saturday, the Guild emphasised the importance of protecting journalists, particularly those working in rural and conflict-prone areas. “A free press must be allowed to function without fear or intimidation,” it said, calling on the Chhattisgarh government to ensure a speedy and thorough investigation.
"The Press Club of India is shocked to learn about the murder of Bijapur (Chhattisgarh) based young freelance journalist Mukesh Chandrakar. We strongly condemn the killing and demand time-bound action against the perpetrators. The club also requests the Press Council of India to take cognisance of the matter and demand that the state government take appropriate action," the PCI said in a statement.
Mukesh's murder has triggered a state wide outrage as local journalists staged a symbolic road blockade at Hospital Chowk on National Highway 36 to condemn the murder. They demanded the suspension of the Bijapur district superintendent of police.
- PTC NEWS
