Chilling details emerge in Chhattisgarh journalist’s murder case, ‘heart ripped out, liver pieces, broken neck’

‘Heart ripped out, a broken neck, four pieces of liver, five broken ribs, 15 fractures to the head,’ is what the doctors found during Chhattisgarh journalist Mukesh Chandrakar’s postmortem. Mukesh Chandrakar went missing on January 1 and his body was found two days later in a septic tank on a property owned by Suresh Chandrakar at Chattanpara Basti in Bijapur town.

The postmortem report showing ‘a broken neck, 15 fractures on the head, heart ripped out reveals the brutal assault and killing of Chhattisgarh journalist Mukesh Chandrakar on January 1, followed by his body being dumped in a septic tank, an India Today report mentioned.

It is alleged that Mukesh Chandrakar had exposed an alleged corruption in a ₹120-crore road construction work in Bijapur, in which Suresh Chandrakar was involved. Suresh Chandrakar, who was on the run since the Chhattisgarh journalist’s body was found in a septic tank, was held in Hyderabad.

Suresh Chandrakar’s brothers Ritesh Chandrakar and Dinesh Chandrakar and supervisor Mahendra Ramteke have already been arrested in the case.

Notably, Mukesh Chandrakar was one of the interlocutors who played a key role in the release of a CRPF constable abducted by Naxals after an encounter in Bijapur in 2021. He was actively covering Naxal attacks, encounters, and other issues in Bastar. He also ran a YouTube channel, ‘Bastar Junction’, which has some 1.59 lakh subscribers.

Chhattisgarh government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident. The SIT comprising eleven members is probing the murder of Chhattisgarh journalist Mukesh Chandrakar. Also Read | Chhattisgarh: 9 jawans killed in ‘biggest’ Naxal IED strike; Amit Shah vows ‘sacrifice’ will not go in vain

Speaking of Mukesh Chandrakar’s murder and the postmortem report, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said, “It must have been so painful for him. The law and order situation across the state is under control but the reason and conspiracy behind the murder should be found out.”

Meanwhile, the Mahar community members took out a candle march to demand capital-punishment for the accused in connection with the Chhattisgarh journalist’s murder case. The candle march started from Ambedkar Bhawan and culminated at Jaistambh Chowk.