In a deeply tragic incident that has shocked the sports and local community alike, 25-year-old former state-level tennis player Radhika Yadav was allegedly shot dead by her father, Deepak Yadav, inside their residence in Gurugram’s upscale Sushant Lok, Sector 57, on Thursday morning. The incident reportedly occurred while Radhika was cooking in the kitchen.
According to Gurugram Police, Deepak, 49, used his licensed .32 bore revolver to fire four rounds three bullets hitting her back and one striking her shoulder. Despite being rushed to Asia Maringo Hospital by her uncle and cousin, Radhika was declared dead on arrival. Her last rites were performed on Friday in her family’s village in Wazirabad, where around 150 people, including grieving relatives, gathered for the funeral.
The police initially believed the murder stemmed from a financial dispute over a tennis academy Radhika allegedly ran. However, they later clarified she did not own a formal academy but trained aspiring players by renting courts across locations. Her father had objected to this, asking her several times to stop conducting such sessions.
Deepak, reportedly under mental stress for the past two weeks, felt humiliated by comments implying he depended on his daughter’s income. Gurugram police spokesperson Sandeep Singh confirmed, “He was financially stable with rental income and felt there was no need for Radhika to work. He confessed that the issue of her training activities led to the crime.”
There was also speculation around Radhika’s increasing social media presence and a 2024 romantic music video appearance, but police have ruled out any link between that and the murder.
As per the FIR filed by her uncle Kuldeep Yadav, Radhika’s mother, Manju, was reportedly present on the first floor when the shooting happened. She initially mistook the gunshots for a pressure cooker blast. The revolver used in the murder was found in the drawing room by the family.
Deepak was produced in court on Friday and remanded to one-day police custody. During investigation, police recovered five bullets and a live cartridge from their residence. He was also taken to his land near Pataudi for further evidence recovery.
The All India Tennis Association confirmed Radhika had participated in qualifying events in Indore and Kuala Lumpur earlier this year. Ranked as high as 35 in AITA Women’s Singles and 75 in U-18, she was once a promising tennis talent. “She always dreamt of starting her own academy,” said AITA official Anil Dhupar, expressing deep sorrow.
Meanwhile, Suman Kapur of the Haryana Tennis Association stated that her training center was not registered with HTA nor did it host any formal tournaments.
Police continue to probe all angles in the case, including the family’s dynamics and the mother’s role at the time of the incident.
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