Gurugram: Radhika Yadav, a 25-year-old state-level tennis player, was shot dead allegedly by her father, Deepak Yadav, at their residence in Gurugram’s Sector 57 on Thursday morning. The shocking crime took place around 10:30 am, inside the kitchen of their family home.
According to police officials, Deepak Yadav, 51, was reportedly angry and depressed over social mockery directed at him for depending on his daughter’s income. He had been pressuring Radhika to shut down the tennis academy she ran, but she refused.
“He wanted her to shut down the academy, but she refused. He finally shot her dead over the same dispute,” said Assistant Commissioner of Police Yashwant Yadav.
After firing three shots, Deepak Yadav was arrested following statements from other family members. He allegedly confessed to police that he had been suffering from depression for the past 15 days, stemming from social criticism about his daughter’s career.
The FIR mentions that Deepak claimed he could no longer bear the “humiliation” which had hurt his “pride.”
Radhika’s mother, Manju Yadav, declined to give her statement, telling police that she had a fever and hadn’t witnessed the incident.
An FIR has been registered at the Sector 56 Police Station. Investigators are also exploring other possible motives, including objections to Radhika’s alleged relationship or Instagram activity, such as reels she posted online.
🎾 Who Was Radhika Yadav?
Radhika Yadav was a bright and talented athlete who graduated from Scottish High International School and cleared her Class 12 commerce exams in 2018. She had been passionate about tennis from an early age and had recently been recovering from a shoulder injury while continuing to run her tennis academy and mentor young players.
Police officers described Radhika as “full of life,” often seen shooting celebratory dance reels with her father after tournament wins—making the tragedy even more heartbreaking.