In a heartbreaking turn of events, 25-year-old tennis player Radhika Yadav was shot dead by her father, Deepak Yadav, at their residence in Sector 57, Sushant Lok, Gurugram. The incident took place following an argument over Radhika’s self-established tennis academy, a venture she passionately nurtured despite familial resistance.
Using his licensed .32 bore revolver, Deepak fired multiple rounds at his daughter, three of which fatally struck her. Radhika died on the spot. The Gurugram Police have arrested the accused and charged him with murder.
Gurugram Police PRO Sandeep Kumar stated that,“Tennis player Radhika was shot dead with three bullets in Sector 57, Gurugram. The father has been accused of murder, and the bullets were fired from his licensed revolver. Gurugram Police has arrested father, and a case is being registered.”
“He asked her repeatedly to shut the tennis academy,” said Assistant Commissioner of Police (Sadar) Yashwant Yadav. “But she refused. Arguments had taken place earlier as well. He finally shot her dead over the same dispute.”
Deepak told the police that he killed his daughter over taunts from the people in the village for running the house with tennis academy's earnings.
"When I used to go to Wazirabad village to get milk, people used to taunt me, saying that I live off my daughter's earnings. This troubled me a lot. Some people even questioned my daughter's character. I told my daughter to close her tennis academy, but she refused," Deepak told the police during interrogation.
"This situation kept bothering me as it hurt my dignity. I was very troubled and stressed. Because of this tension, I took out my licensed revolver, and when my daughter Radhika was cooking in the kitchen, I shot her three times from behind, hitting her waist. I have killed my daughter."
Her uncle’s testimony
The tragic moment was recounted by Radhika’s uncle in his complaint to the police.
“Around 10 am, I heard a loud sound and when I went to the first floor, I saw my niece (Radhika) lying in the kitchen and the gun in the drawing room. My son and I took her to Asia Maringo Hospital, where the doctors declared her dead,” he said.
“My brother used a .32 bore revolver, and it belonged to him,” he added.
A shining star in Indian Tennis
Radhika’s journey was one of grit and remarkable potential. A graduate of Scottish High International School, she completed her Class 12 commerce exams in 2018 and embraced tennis early in life. Despite a recent shoulder injury, she was undergoing physiotherapy and remained deeply involved in mentoring budding athletes through her academy.
Her career highlights include a career-high ITF doubles ranking of 113, placing her among the top 200 globally, a rare feat in Indian tennis. From national circuits to international events like the W15 tournament in Tunisia (June 2024) and a notable match in Gwalior in 2017, she steadily rose through the ranks. Her collaborations in doubles with athletes like Poorvi Bhatt and Thaniya Sarai Gogulamanda further reflected her tactical excellence.
Beyond personal glory, Radhika was driven by the idea of giving back to the sport. Her academy in Gurugram was aimed at making tennis affordable and accessible, especially for children from underserved backgrounds. Her dream was to build a tennis culture in Haryana that could stand alongside India’s cricketing giants.