National Tennis Player Radhika Yadav was shot dead by her own father Deepak Yadav on Thursday at their residence in Gurugram. This incident has shockwaves across country.
According to police, Deepak Yadav had been strongly opposed to her coaching young players, despite her rising popularity and commitment to nurturing new talent. He reportedly urged her several times to stop the training sessions, believing that she did not need to earn money, especially through something he disapproved of.
“Radhika did not have her own academy. She used to train new aspirants by booking tennis courts at different places. Deepak had asked her several times to stop the training sessions, but she refused. That was the main tussle between the father and daughter,” a senior officer from the investigation team told PTI.
Why did father Shot Radhika Yadav
Police investigations revealed a deeper psychological trigger behind the murder. During a recent visit to his native village, Wazirabad, Deepak was reportedly taunted by locals for being overly supportive of his daughter’s choices. Some even called him a “gira hua baap” (fallen father), questioning his dignity for “living off his daughter’s earnings.”
The remarks reportedly deeply affected Deepak, who returned to Gurugram with growing anger and resentment. According to officials, he confronted Radhika about shutting down the academy. Radhika refused, stating that he himself had supported her earlier — even giving her ₹2 crore to start her career.
What followed was a three-day period of mental turmoil for Deepak, torn between thoughts of suicide and harming his daughter. On Thursday, when Radhika was cooking in the kitchen, he made his decision.
Without warning, he walked in and fired five rounds at her — four of which struck her and caused her instant death. As per autopsy reports, she died on the spot.
No Link to Music Video
There had also been speculation regarding one of Radhika’s Instagram videos, which was being investigated as a possible trigger. However, police have officially ruled that out.
“The video was uploaded in 2023 and has no connection with the murder. The accused has repeatedly said that he did not want his daughter to earn through training,” Inspector Vinod Kumar from Sector 56 Police Station clarified.
Radhika’s body was sent for post-mortem, and her last rites were performed on Friday, July 12, in her village Wazirabad. The tennis community and citizens across India have expressed grief and outrage at the loss of such a young and promising talent.
