In a horrifying incident that has sent shockwaves across the sports fraternity, 25-year-old Radhika Yadav — a state-level tennis player with national and international accolades — was shot dead by her father at their home in Sushant Lok-II, Gurgaon, on July 10 morning.
The accused, Deepak Yadav, was arrested soon after the incident and is currently in police custody. According to officials, he fired five rounds at his daughter with a licensed revolver — three bullets struck her fatally.
Police have recovered the weapon and are probing the motive behind the murder, which they say stems from a longstanding conflict between father and daughter.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the two had frequent arguments over Radhika’s decision to run a tennis academy.
Her father reportedly disapproved of her career choices and had warned her to shut it down multiple times,” said a police spokesperson. “An argument escalated violently around 10:30 am, leading to the shooting.”
The incident came to light after Radhika’s uncle — the accused’s brother — filed a complaint, prompting a swift police response. A murder case was registered at the Sector 56 police station.
Forensic teams, crime scene experts, and senior police officers, including the Deputy Commissioner of Police (East), inspected the residence. The victim’s body was sent for post-mortem examination.
Radhika, born on March 23, 2000, was one of Haryana’s brightest tennis prospects. She had competed in both national and international circuits.
According to the All India Tennis Association (AITA), she achieved a peak ranking of 75 in Girls Under-18, 53 in Women’s Doubles, and 35 in Women’s Singles. She also held a ranking of 113 on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) circuit.
Her tragic death has left the sports community stunned and grieving.
Police say they are conducting a comprehensive investigation into the case, and all angles — including mental health and domestic abuse — are being explored.
