Tennis player murder: Villagers mocked me for living off daughter's earnings, so shot Radhika, father in FIR

A 25-year-old former state-level tennis player, Radhika Yadav, was shot dead by her father, Deepak Yadav, inside their Gurugram home on Thursday morning.

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The police said the accused opened fire on his daughter while she was cooking in the kitchen, hitting her three times from behind. According to the police, Deepak Yadav, 49, was reportedly angered by frequent taunts from locals who mocked him for depending on his daughter’s earnings.

Investigators revealed that the conflict between father and daughter had escalated in recent days, particularly after Deepak insisted she shut down her newly established tennis academy, a demand Radhika refused to meet, reports NDTV.

“Whenever I went to Wazirabad village to get milk, people made fun of me, saying I lived off my daughter’s income,” Deepak reportedly told police during interrogation.

“Some even questioned her character. I was extremely disturbed and told her to close the academy, but she didn’t listen.” In a confession to police, Deepak admitted to using his licensed revolver to shoot Radhika while she was cooking.

“It affected my dignity. I was very stressed. So I shot her,” he said. The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. on Thursday. Kuldeep Yadav, Deepak’s brother, told police he heard gunshots and rushed upstairs, where he found Radhika lying motionless in the kitchen and a revolver discarded in the nearby drawing room.

Kuldeep, along with his son Piyush, immediately took Radhika to Asia Moringo Hospital in Sector 56, Gurugram. She was declared dead upon arrival.

The first information report (FIR) was filed by Kuldeep, who expressed disbelief at the crime. “She was a talented player and had won many trophies. I can't understand why this happened,” he said in his statement. Deepak Yadav's wife, Manju, refused to give a written statement, police said. Deepak Yadav's uncle, Radhika Yadav, filed the FIR and gave a statement to the police. He said he heard a loud bang at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday and rushed to the first floor, where his brother lives. "... I saw my niece, Radhika Yadav, lying in the kitchen and a revolver lying in the drawing room," Kuldeep Yadav said in the FIR.

"After that, my son Piyush Yadav and I went upstairs. We both lifted Radhika and took her in our car to Asia Moringo Hospital, Sector 56, Gurugram, for treatment. After the examination, the doctor declared my niece dead." Kuldeep Yadav in the FIR said: "He is shocked by the murder of his niece. "She was a prominent tennis player who had won many trophies. When I went to the first floor, only my brother Deepak, my sister-in-law Manju Yadav, and Radhika were present".