Three were arrested after Mukesh Chandrakar's body was found on January 3 in Bijapur in Chhattisgarh after it was placed in a water tank.
India's media watchdog and other media organizations are demanding a thorough investigation after the body of a freelance journalist who exposed alleged corruption in a road construction project was found wrapped in a water tank in Bijapur in the central state of Chhattisgarh.
Police have arrested at least three people, including two of his cousins, in connection with the murder of 28-year-old Mukesh Chandrakar.
Chandrakar also reported on corruption and Maoist insurgency in the rich state. He ran the famous YouTube channel “Bastar Junction”.
The Press Council of India expressed its “concern” over Chandrakar's killing, and called for a report on “the facts of the case” in a statement on Saturday.
The Editors Guild of India also said they were “deeply disturbed” by the development. “The safety of journalists – especially those working in small towns and rural areas – is of utmost importance,” he said in a statement.
“The Editors Guild requests the government of Chhattisgarh to investigate the matter as soon as possible and bring the culprits to book.”
Chandrakar's body was found on January 3 in Bijapur after police searched his mobile phone after his family reported him missing.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), called Chandrakar's death “heartbreaking” and promised “severe punishment” for those found guilty.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi expressed her dismay at the incident and demanded strict action against those responsible.
“I request the state government to take immediate action in this matter, the culprits should be given strict punishment and appropriate compensation and work should be considered for the family of the deceased,” he said.
India was ranked 159th last year on the World Press Freedom Index, conducted by Reporters Without Borders.