RAIPUR-Chhattisgarh: A journalist of 28 year old,  who went missing was found murdered in south Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on January 3.

Mukesh, who worked for a local news channel, had been missing since January 1 after receiving a call from the brother of a contractor he had recently exposed for corruption.

Mukesh had been investigating a road construction project worth Rs 120 crore in Bastar, and his findings led to allegations of irregularities involving contractor Suresh Chandrakar. His investigative reporting had sparked a government inquiry into the project, and the revelations were thought to have led to the tragic event.

On January 1, Mukesh received a call from Ritesh, the brother of Suresh Chandrakar, who asked to meet him. Mukesh informed a colleague about the call, but shortly after, his phone was switched off at around 12:30 AM. He never returned home, prompting his brother, Yukesh, also a journalist, to file a missing person report on January 2.

After tracing CCTV footage and investigating the area, police discovered Mukesh's body inside a septic tank on the property of Suresh Chandrakar in Chattanpara, where he had last been seen. Police have arrested Suresh Chandrakar, who was apprehended in Hyderabad, and Ritesh, who was arrested in Delhi. A laborer who assisted in disposing of the body has also been taken into custody.

The investigation continues as police question several other individuals connected to the contractor’s circle. Mukesh’s death has sent shockwaves through the region, with many demanding justice for the journalist, who was known for his courage in exposing corruption and his past efforts to help rescue CRPF jawans in Bastar.

In the morning today, journalists staged a symbolic road blockade at Hospital Chowk on National Highway 36 in the city. They demanded that the contractor's properties in Bastar division, including Bijapur, be seized and a case be filed against him.

The journalists also called for the contractor and others involved in the murder to receive the death penalty. They asked for the removal of his security detail and the freezing of his bank accounts, among other demands.

Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai stated that the accused will not be let off and will be apprehended shortly.