穆克什·钱德拉卡遇害案

Mukesh Chandrakar, a 28-year-old freelance journalist and operator of the YouTube channel "Bastar Junction," went missing on January 1, 2025, in Chhattisgarh, India. His mutilated body was discovered on January 3 in a septic tank on property owned by his cousin, contractor Suresh Chandrakar. Chandrakar had recently reported on irregularities in a 1.2 billion rupee road construction project, which implicated Suresh and prompted a state inquiry. The murder was planned by Suresh Chandrakar along with his brothers Ritesh, Dinesh, and supervisor Mahendra Ramteke. Ritesh and Mahendra attacked Mukesh with an iron rod after an argument. All four accused were arrested within days.

截至2025年3月18日，特别调查组（SIT）已提交了一份长达1,241页的指控书。四名被告根据《印度新刑法典》的多项条款被指控，包括谋杀、刑事共谋和毁灭证据。所有被告均被还押司法 custody。审判尚未结束，但警方表示将寻求最高刑罚。

争议焦点在于此案是否构成对新闻自由的直接攻击，以及腐败承包商与地方官员之间是否存在更深层次的勾结。同时，案件暴露了在巴斯塔尔等冲突地区工作的当地记者面临的极端危险和缺乏机构保护的问题。此外，凶手（受害者的堂兄）的亲属身份也使案件动机和预谋程度成为焦点。

此案在印度国内外引发强烈愤慨，联合国教科文组织总干事予以谴责。多家媒体和人权组织呼吁加强对记者的保护。案件凸显了调查记者在曝光腐败时所面临的致命风险，并引发了对巴斯塔尔地区发展、腐败和军事化等更广泛问题的讨论。