Bastar / YouTube Junction
Mukesh Chandrakar’s body found in septic tank last week
The gruesome murder of Indian journalist Mukesh Chandrakar has highlighted the dangers of reporting in some of the country’s most volatile regions.
Chandrakar’s body was found last week in a septic tank at a compound belonging to a contractor he had implicated in a corruption case in Chhattisgarh state. Police arrested the contractor and two others in connection with the 33-year-old’s murder.
Chhattisgarh, a mineral-rich state, has been the scene of armed conflict for more than three decades and attacks by Maoist rebels on security forces are frequent. The Maoists, active in several Indian states, claim to be fighting for a communist regime and for greater rights for tribal populations and the rural poor.
Chandrakar’s murder was condemned by Indian media watchdogs. People who knew him praised his courage and resilience, and many said he cared deeply about people and would go to great lengths to tell an important story.
His death also sparked discussions about the challenges faced by independent journalists, often working as correspondents or freelancers, in states like Chhattisgarh, where job opportunities are few and the balance of power constantly shifts between the state, insurgent groups and powerful mining companies.
Chandrakar was born in Basaguda, a remote village in the state, and worked in odd jobs before turning to journalism at the age of 20.
His childhood was difficult; he lost his father when he was still a child and was raised by his mother, who worked hard to make ends meet. He also grew up in the shadow of violence as militias and rebel groups fought for power in the state.
To help his family, he first collected mahua flowers, which are used to make a liquor popular among tribal members, and then worked in a garage.
His friend Ganesh Mishra told the BBC that Chandrakar discovered journalism through conversations with friends and began working as one in 2013. He learned on the job, gleaning advice from fellow journalists, and gradually developed a passion for reporting.
He worked as a journalist for major media outlets before starting his own YouTube channel, Bastar Junction. At the time of his death, the channel had around 165,000 subscribers, a number which has since increased by around 10,000.
Bastar is a hilly district of Chhattisgarh that is full of dense forests and is part of India’s “red corridor”, the nickname given to the regions worst hit by the Maoist insurgency.
Ganesh Mishra
Ganesh Mishra (left) and Mukesh Chandrakar often traveled through difficult terrain on their bikes while reporting stories.
Watching the videos, Chandrakar’s journalism appears slightly melodramatic and sometimes deviates from the rigors of traditional reporting, such as not always giving all parties a right of reply. However, his videos highlight stories often overlooked by mainstream media – reports of innocent villagers killed in crossfire between Maoist rebels and soldiers, or tribal men wrongly accused of being insurgents and imprisoned by the police.
His channel captured the hardships faced by residents of remote villages in Bastar, where even basic necessities are in short supply.
One video showed villagers swimming across a river with groceries in tow due to the lack of a bridge; another documented a key road mined with explosives, believed to have been planted by Maoists to target security forces. Her stories gave residents a platform to air their grievances and hold officials accountable.
Chandrakar also worked as an ‘accompanist’ for media houses, where his job was to provide journalists with information on a subject or sometimes even accompany them to Maoist strongholds.
Most media outlets pay these independent journalists poorly, and despite doing much of the field work, they often do not receive proper recognition or a byline.
A journalist whom Chandrakar helped cover a particularly sensitive story told the BBC how he helped him pass through Maoist camps and police checkpoints to reach areas deep in the forests.
“It would have been impossible to get onto the field without him,” said the person, who asked to remain anonymous.
He described Chandrakar as a person who was passionate about new experiences, loved the chase and felt proud when his actions led to change.
“He was also a deeply ambitious person. He didn’t want to be defined by his difficult life; he wanted to rise above that,” he said.
It is perhaps this trait of Chandrakar’s that led to speculation about the actual cause of his death. Police say two of those arrested for his murder are linked to him, one of whom is a contractor.
There are rumors about Chandrakar’s lifestyle, which some colleagues have found confusing given the meager salaries of local journalists. In a tribute, his close friend and fellow journalist, Dipankar Ghose, acknowledged the complexity of working in a profession where survival often means making difficult choices.
“For me, Mukesh was the personification of courage. I’m not going to pretend that in a universe where the media he (Chandrakar) worked for didn’t even pay for his gas, let alone a steady salary, that subsistence wasn’t a priority issue, and hence some threads were not crossed But Mukesh loved journalism with passion,” he wrote as part of a long article praising Chandrakar on X.
Bastar / YouTube Junction
Chandrakar’s videos gave residents an opportunity to voice their problems
Manisha Pande, editor-in-chief of Newslaundry, an independent news platform, talks about the challenges faced by journalists in many small towns across the country.
“There are many passionate, even intrepid, young journalists who are the first to discover and report stories from their region. But as a profession, we haven’t figured out how to make journalism financially viable for them,” says -She.
Chandrakar’s murder remains under investigation and additional details about his death are expected to be revealed in the coming days. However, his work continues to inspire many people.
“I lost a friend who was like a member of my family and Bastar lost a good journalist,” says Mr. Mishra. “His journalism touched many people and so his loss is deeply felt by all.”
*Some names in the story have been withheld upon request.
