State-level tennis player Radhika Yadav fatally shot by her father

A 25-year-old national-level tennis player Radhika Yadav was shot and killed by her father on Thursday morning at their home in Sector 57, Gurugram. The killing reportedly stemmed from ongoing family tensions surrounding her financial independence,

According to Gurugram police, 49-year-old Deepak Yadav, Radhika’s father, confessed to the crime during initial interrogation. He told investigators he felt humiliated by comments from locals in his hometown of Wazirabad, who mocked him for relying on his daughter’s income. He had also repeatedly pressured Radhika to shut down the tennis academy she had launched.

Shot while preparing breakfast

Police say that on Thursday around 10:30 a.m., Deepak shot Radhika three times in the back while she was cooking in the kitchen. Her uncle, Kuldeep Yadav, who resides on the ground floor of the same building, heard the gunshots and ran upstairs. There, he discovered Radhika lying unresponsive on the kitchen floor. The revolver used in the shooting was found nearby in the drawing room.

She was immediately rushed to Asia Maringo Hospital in Sector 56, where doctors pronounced her dead on arrival.

Social media and music video sparked conflict

Deepak, a former bank employee, reportedly struggled to accept his daughter’s growing success and autonomy particularly after she opened her own tennis academy. According to police sources, the situation worsened after Radhika featured in a music video titled "Karwaan" by independent artist INAAM, released under LLF Records. Deepak had allegedly demanded that she remove the video from her social media accounts, but she refused.

While the family had long disagreed over financial matters and Radhika’s decision to keep running the academy, police believe the music video appearance may have been a breaking point.

Statement reveals father's resentment

Police recorded Deepak’s statement in the First Information Report (FIR). He admitted feeling publicly embarrassed in Wazirabad, where villagers allegedly ridiculed him for being financially dependent on his daughter and even questioned her character.

“People would taunt me when I went to buy milk, saying I lived off my daughter’s earnings. Some even made disrespectful remarks about her. I asked her many times to shut the academy, but she wouldn’t,” Deepak told police.

That morning, he retrieved his licensed .32 bore revolver and shot her multiple times. Of the five rounds fired, three struck her fatally.

Eyewitness accounts and investigation

The FIR was filed by Kuldeep Yadav, Radhika’s uncle and Deepak’s younger brother. He recounted that he heard gunshots from upstairs and rushed to the scene.

“I found Radhika lying in the kitchen. The revolver was in the drawing room. My son and I took her to the hospital, but it was too late,” he said.

Manju Yadav, Radhika’s mother, was also in the home during the incident. According to police, she told officers she was unwell and had locked herself in her room. She has yet to provide a formal written statement.

“Radhika was a talented tennis player who had won numerous awards. Her death is devastating and difficult to comprehend,” Kuldeep added.

Promising career cut short

Radhika had recently paused her playing career due to a shoulder injury, but instead of stepping away from the sport, she shifted her focus to coaching young athletes at her academy. She was widely recognized in the Indian tennis circuit and admired for her commitment to the game.

The investigation is ongoing, and Deepak Yadav remains in police custody. The firearm used in the killing has been seized as evidence.

This heartbreaking case has reignited conversations in India about domestic violence, patriarchal control, and the dangers faced by financially independent women, even within their own homes.