Mukesh Chandrakar: Journalist's murder highlights risks of reporting in small-town India

The brutal murder of Indian journalist Mukesh Chandrakar highlights the dangers of reporting in some of the country’s most volatile regions. Chandrakar’s body was discovered last week in a septic tank owned by a contractor in Chhattisgarh, whom he had accused of corruption in a report. Police have arrested the contractor and two others in connection with the 33-year-old journalist’s murder.

Chhattisgarh, a mineral-rich state, has experienced over three decades of armed conflict, with Maoist insurgent attacks on security forces being common. These Maoists, active in several Indian states, claim they are fighting for communist rule and greater rights for tribal people and the rural poor. Chandrakar’s death has been condemned by Indian media watchdogs. Those who knew him praised his bravery and tenacity, with many saying he cared deeply about people and went out of his way to cover important stories.

His death has also sparked discussions about the challenges faced by independent journalists. These journalists often work as stringers or freelancers, in regions like Chhattisgarh where employment opportunities are scarce and the balance of power is constantly shifting between the state government, insurgent groups, and powerful mining companies. Chandrakar, who was born in the remote village of Basaguda in the state, had worked odd jobs before turning to journalism in his 20s.

His childhood was difficult, losing his father at a young age and being raised by his mother, who struggled to make ends meet. He also grew up under the shadow of violence as militias and insurgent groups fought for control in the state. To help support his family, he initially collected mahua flowers, used to make a popular liquor among tribal people, and later worked in an auto repair shop. His friend, Ganesh Mishra, told the BBC that Chandrakar discovered journalism through conversations with friends and started working in the field in 2013. He learned on the job, taking advice from other journalists, and gradually developed a passion for reporting.

He worked for mainstream media outlets before launching his own YouTube channel, “Bastar Junction.” At the time of his death, the channel had about 165,000 subscribers, a number that has since increased by about 10,000. Bastar is a hilly region in Chhattisgarh, densely forested, and part of India’s “Red Corridor,” a euphemism for areas most affected by Maoist insurgency. Watching these videos, Chandrakar’s news reports seem somewhat dramatic, sometimes deviating from the rigor of traditional reporting, such as not always giving all sides a right of reply. However, his videos highlighted stories often overlooked by mainstream media – reports of innocent villagers killed in crossfire between Maoist insurgents and soldiers, or tribal men wrongly accused of being insurgents and jailed by police.

His channel documented the hardships faced by locals in remote villages of Bastar, where even basic necessities are scarce. One video showed villagers swimming across a river with groceries due to a lack of bridges; another documented a major road that had been mined with explosives, allegedly by Maoists to target security forces. His reporting provided a platform for locals to express their grievances and hold public officials accountable. Chandrakar also worked as a “stringer” for news organizations, his job involving providing information about news stories to out-of-town journalists, sometimes even guiding them through Maoist strongholds.

Most media organizations pay these freelance journalists very little, and despite doing much of the groundwork, they often do not receive proper recognition or bylines. One journalist who was helped by Chandrakar to report on a particularly sensitive story told the BBC how he had helped him navigate through Maoist camps and police checkpoints to reach deep forest areas. “It would not have been possible to enter the area without him,” said the person, who did not want to be named. He described Chandrakar as someone who was passionate about new experiences, loved the chase, and felt proud when his actions led to change. “He was also a very ambitious person. He did not want to be defined by his difficult life; he wanted to rise above it,” he said.

Perhaps it was this very trait of Chandrakar that has led to some speculation about the cause of his death. Police say the two people arrested for his murder are related to him, with one being the contractor. There have been whispers about Chandrakar’s lifestyle being somewhat puzzling, given the low pay for local journalists, something that has confused some colleagues. In his tribute, his close friend and fellow journalist, Dipankar Ghose, acknowledged that survival often means making difficult choices when working in such an industry. “For me, Mukesh was the epitome of courage. I won’t pretend that in a universe where even his petrol money was not paid by the media house he worked for, let alone a steady salary, survival was not a question, and hence some lines were not crossed. But Mukesh was passionate about journalism,” he wrote in a long post, praising Chandrakar on X.

Manisha Pande, the executive editor of the independent news platform Newslaundry, spoke about the challenges faced by journalists in many small towns and cities across the country. “There are many passionate, even fearless, young journalists who are the first to find and report news stories in their areas. But as an industry, we have not found a way to make journalism economically sustainable for them,” she said. The murder of Chandrakar is still under investigation, and more details about his death are expected to emerge in the coming days. However, his work continues to inspire many. “I have lost a friend who was like family, and Bastar has lost a good journalist,” said Mr. Mishra. “His news reports impacted many, and so his loss is deeply saddening for all.”