In a shocking incident in Gurugram, national-level tennis player Radhika Yadav, 25, was allegedly shot dead by her father, Deepak Yadav, at their residence in Sector 57 on Thursday morning. Deepak Yadav has been arrested, and the licensed revolver used in the crime has been recovered.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the tragic event stemmed from a long-standing dispute over Radhika's tennis academy. According to police reports and Deepak's confession, he was upset with his daughter for running the academy and had repeatedly asked her to shut it down. He felt insulted by villagers' taunts, who suggested he was living off his daughter's income and questioned her character.
The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. when Deepak allegedly shot Radhika from behind with his licensed .32 bore revolver while she was in the kitchen. According to a police spokesperson, Deepak fired five shots, three of which hit Radhika. Radhika's uncle and cousin rushed her to Asia Maringo Hospital, but she was declared dead on arrival.
Radhika Yadav was a talented tennis player who had achieved significant success in her career. She had competed in various national and international tournaments, with a career-best ranking of 75 in Girls Under-18, 53 in Women's Doubles, and 35 in Women's Singles, according to All India Tennis Association (AITA) records. She was also active on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) circuit, where she was ranked 113. However, after sustaining a shoulder injury during a match, she stopped playing professionally and started a tennis academy to coach children.
Deepak Yadav, a realtor and native of Wazirabad village, reportedly spoke highly of his daughter and had always encouraged her to pursue tennis. However, he was unable to cope with the "insult" and pressure from fellow villagers. This led to frequent arguments with Radhika over the academy, culminating in the tragic shooting.
The police have registered a case under sections 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant provisions of the Arms Act, based on a complaint filed by Radhika's uncle, Kuldeep Yadav. The police have seized the revolver, blood samples, and swabs from the crime scene as evidence. They are conducting a thorough investigation, examining all aspects of the case, and questioning Deepak Yadav to uncover further details.
The news of Radhika Yadav's death has sent shockwaves through the tennis community and her village. Fellow villagers expressed their disbelief, with one stating that Radhika had recently shot a promotion video for her academy and that it was running well.