The body of an Indian journalist who was reporting on alleged corruption in the country was found in a septic tank in Chhattisgarh state.
Mukesh Chandrakar, 32, went missing on New Year's Day and his family filed a complaint with the police.
His body was found on Friday at the compound of a road construction contractor in Bijapur town area after officers traced his mobile phone.
Three people were arrested in connection with his death, reportedly including two of his relatives. The Media Oversight Authority called for a comprehensive investigation.
Police in Bijapur district found nothing during an initial visit to the complex on January 2.
“However, after further inspection on January 3, we discovered Mukesh's body in a newly built septic tank near the badminton court,” a senior police officer said, referring to the fact that concrete slabs had been placed over the tank.
Police said his body showed serious injuries consistent with a blunt force assault.
Chandrakar, a freelance journalist, has written extensively about alleged corruption in public construction projects and the decades-long Maoist insurgency in Chhattisgarh.
He also ran a popular YouTube channel, Bastar Junction.
After his death, the Press Council of India called for a report “on the facts of the case” from the state government.
The state's chief minister described Mr. Chandrakar's death as “tragic”.
In a post on XHe added that a special investigation team has been formed to investigate the case.
Indian media reported that one of those detained over the journalist's death is his cousin, while one of the main suspects – the owner of the complex – remains at large.
Local journalists staged a protest demanding strict action against the alleged perpetrators.
Attacks on journalists who report on corruption or environmental degradation are common in India.
In May 2022, Subhash Kumar Mahto, a freelance journalist known for his reporting on people involved in illegal sand mining, was shot in the head by four unidentified men outside his home in Bihar state.
Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders said an average of three or four journalists are killed for their work in India every year, making it one of the most dangerous countries in the world for the media.
