In a heart-wrenching incident, 25-year-old national-level tennis player Radhika Yadav was fatally shot by her father, Deepak Yadav, at their home in Gurugram’s upscale Sushant Lok area on Thursday, July 10, 2025. Police investigations reveal that Deepak, distressed by societal taunts about living off his daughter’s income, killed Radhika after a heated dispute over her tennis academy. Despite the tragedy, sources disclosed that Radhika had tried to counsel her father, emphasizing her commitment to making his investment in her career worthwhile.
Radhika, a former state-level tennis player, had been unable to pursue competitive tennis due to a shoulder injury sustained two years ago. Deepak had invested over Rs 2.5 crore in her tennis training, supporting her career from childhood. After her injury, Radhika shifted to coaching aspiring players by renting tennis courts and also ventured into social media, aspiring to become an influencer. She featured in a music video titled Karwaan in 2024 and frequently posted Instagram reels, which reportedly upset her father. Under pressure from Deepak, Radhika had deleted her social media accounts some time ago.
Deepak, who earned approximately Rs 15 lakh annually from his broker business and owned multiple properties generating Rs 15-17 lakh monthly in rental income, repeatedly urged Radhika to shut down her tennis academy, insisting his earnings were sufficient for the family. Sources said Deepak was deeply affected by taunts from villagers in Wazirabad, his native place, who mocked him for allegedly living off his daughter’s earnings and questioned her character. He confessed to police that these taunts, combined with Radhika’s refusal to close the academy, fueled his anger. “You have spent Rs 2.5 crore on me. I will not let that money go to waste. I will train young players using my talent and experience in tennis,” Radhika reportedly told her father, trying to reassure him of her dedication.
On Thursday, around 10:30 AM, Deepak sent his son Dheeraj out for grocery shopping, leaving him alone with Radhika. While she was preparing breakfast for her mother, Manju Yadav, in the kitchen, Deepak fired five shots from his licensed .32 bore revolver, four of which struck Radhika—three in the back and one in the neck or shoulder, according to conflicting postmortem reports. Radhika was rushed to Asia Maringo Hospital by her uncle, Kuldeep Yadav, and cousin Piyush, but was declared dead on arrival.
Manju, who was resting in another room due to a fever, claimed she heard the gunshots but was unaware of the motive, describing Deepak as “obsessive” and noting prior arguments over the academy. She revealed that Deepak had expressed a desire to kill Radhika in the three days leading up to the incident, following ongoing disputes. Kuldeep, who lived on the ground floor of the family’s two-storey home in Sector 57, filed the FIR, reporting that he found Radhika in a pool of blood in the kitchen with the revolver in the drawing room.
Deepak, 49, was arrested and confessed to the crime, citing the taunts and his frustration with Radhika’s academy and social media presence. Police investigations suggest the murder was premeditated, as Deepak had been battling depression for 15 days and contemplated suicide before deciding to kill his daughter. On Friday, July 11, a Gurugram court remanded him to one-day police custody to recover additional ammunition from his property in Kasam village near Rewari. Radhika’s last rites were performed on Friday evening in Wazirabad.
Police are also exploring other angles, including tensions over Radhika’s music video appearance and social media activity, though the primary motive remains the dispute over her tennis academy. A neighbor described Radhika as “polite, humble, and hardworking,” expressing shock at Deepak’s actions, given his earlier support for her career.
Last Updated on Saturday, July 12, 2025 2:27 pm by Lok Ram
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