Radhika Yadav, a 25-year-old tennis player who represented India in multiple international tournaments and achieved a ranking of 75 in Girls Under-18 category and 53 in Women’s Doubles, was murdered by her father last week while she prepared his breakfast, police confirmed last Thursday.
Yadav’s father Deepak reportedly shot five rounds at her from his licensed revolver, three of which hit her. Yadav was declared dead on arrival at the Asia Maringo Hospital in Gurugram.
Alleged motive in the killing
Deepak, 45, reportedly confessed to the killing, telling police he murdered his daughter over taunts from local villagers about him surviving on her income.
“Some people even questioned my daughter's character. I told my daughter to close her tennis academy, but she refused,” he told police, according to local broadcaster NDTV.
Yadav opened a tennis academy after an injury ended her professional sports career prematurely. She gained financial independence and a large social media following, which reportedly strained her familial relations.
“He had asked her several times to shut the tennis academy, but she refused. He could not take it anymore,” police officer Vinod Kumar told The Indian Express.
CNN-News18, citing Kumar, reported the murder was not an honor killing.
Manju Yadav, Yadav’s mother, was home at the time of the incident but claimed she had locked herself in her room due to illness and therefore did not witness the killing, according to the Independent.
Yadav’s uncle Kuldeep, who rushed her to the hospital after hearing the shots, filed the criminal complaint against Deepak.