Summary

Indian journalist Mukesh Chandrakar, 32, known for reporting on corruption, was found dead in a septic tank in Chhattisgarh on 3 January after going missing on New Year’s Day.

Police arrested three suspects, including two relatives, while contractor Suresh Chandrakar, a key suspect, is on the run.

Authorities suspect blunt-force trauma, and Chandrakar’s reporting via his YouTube channel Bastar Junction has drawn attention. Local journalists protested, demanding justice and accountability for the killing.

Attacks on journalists in India are common, with 3-4 reporters killed annually for their work, according to Reporters Without Borders.