NEW DELHI: Suresh Chandrakar, the prime accused in the murder of Bastar journalist and YouTuber Mukesh Chandrakar was arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) from Hyderabad, police said on Monday.
Mukesh Chandrakar, 33, a Bastar-based journalist known for his incisive field reports, went missing on New Year’s Day. His body was discovered on Friday in a septic tank at the premises of a road contractor in Bijapur district. The septic tank had been freshly sealed with a concrete slab, officials said.
Mukesh, who contributed to several leading TV channels, including NDTV, was renowned for his fearless reporting in the insurgency-hit region. He had recently exposed an alleged road construction scam in Bijapur, prompting an official investigation into local contractors. Police suspect his murder is linked to this exposé.
According to police, Mukesh received a call from a local contractor on January 1 and informed a journalist in Raipur about the meeting. Afterward, he went missing. His brother, Yugesh, filed a complaint, which led to the discovery of Mukesh’s body at Suresh Chandrakar’s residence in Chattanpara Basti.
Bastar police confirmed that Chandrakar was the prime suspect and had been on the run until his arrest in Hyderabad.
Expressing grief, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai tweeted, “News of the murder of young and dedicated journalist Mukesh Chandrakar is heart-breaking. The culprit will not be spared.”
Manish Gupta, president of the Bastar Journalist Association, described the incident as a “dark chapter.” He said, “A journalist being targeted is a major safety concern for all of us. It’s a challenge to work in Bastar, and a journalist’s safety is the responsibility of police, govt, and society. The roots of journalism ethics have been shaken today.”
Raipur Press Club members gathered at Jai Stambh Chowk on Friday night to demand swift action against the perpetrators. Meanwhile, journalists in Bijapur called for a total shutdown to protest the killing.
Mukesh Chandrakar had previously played a key role in securing the release of a CoBRA commando abducted by Maoists after the Tekulguda massacre in April 2021, in which 29 security personnel were killed. His work highlighted the risks faced by journalists reporting from conflict zones.
