Breakthrough in Chhattisgarh journalist’s murder: Key suspect arrested in Hyderabad

The man accused of masterminding the murder of journalist Mukesh Chandrakar was arrested in Hyderabad on Sunday night. Suresh Chandrakar, a distant relative of the victim and a contractor, had been on the run since the murder came to light. Authorities tracked him down after reviewing footage from over 200 CCTV cameras and tracing around 300 mobile numbers.

The arrest followed an extensive investigation. Police discovered that Suresh had been hiding at his driver’s house in Hyderabad. They had earlier frozen four of his bank accounts and demolished an illegally constructed yard owned by him. Meanwhile, Suresh’s wife was taken into custody in Kanker district, Chhattisgarh, for questioning.

Mukesh Chandrakar, an independent journalist and a contributing reporter for NDTV, was found dead in a septic tank in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district last week. He had been missing since New Year’s Day, prompting his brother, Yukesh, to file a missing person’s report. After investigating, police found his body not far from his home.

The post-mortem revealed that Mukesh had sustained severe injuries from a heavy object, resulting in fatal trauma to his head, chest, back, and stomach. His body was identified by a tattoo on his hand.

Authorities have arrested three people in connection with the crime. Mukesh’s cousin, Ritesh Chandrakar, was apprehended at Raipur airport on Saturday. Supervising the crime, Mahendra Ramteke and another relative, Dinesh Chandrakar, were arrested in Bijapur. Preliminary investigations revealed that an argument during dinner led to Mukesh’s brutal killing.

Ritesh and Mahendra attacked him with an iron rod, killing him instantly. They then concealed the body in the septic tank, sealing it with cement. Dinesh reportedly supervised the sealing of the tank, while Suresh orchestrated the entire plan.

The murder has shocked the community, and condolences have poured in from all directions. Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma called the incident “terrible, painful, and utterly wrong” and assured that strong action would be taken.

The Press Association and the Editors Guild of India have condemned the crime and urged the Chhattisgarh government to take swift action to protect journalists, especially those involved in investigative reporting. The Editors Guild highlighted that the safety of journalists, particularly in smaller towns and rural areas, is crucial to the nation’s democracy and urged authorities to ensure that journalists can perform their duties without fear.

The murder of Mukesh Chandrakar has brought to the forefront concerns about the protection of journalists working in vulnerable areas. This tragedy underscores the pressing need for stronger safeguards to ensure the safety of media professionals, who often face the threat of violence while carrying out their critical work.