How a tennis academy cost the life of promising Indian player Radhika Yadav

Dubai: New details have emerged in the murder case of Indian tennis player Radhika Yadav, 25, who was allegedly shot dead by her father at their home in Gurugram’s Sector 57 on Thursday morning.

Several media outlets have reported that the accused, 51-year-old Deepak Yadav, has been arrested and has confessed to the crime, citing humiliation and social pressure as the key reasons behind the killing. According to police, the shooting occurred in the kitchen around 10:30 a.m. Family members present in the house at the time have corroborated the timeline, which led to his formal arrest.

Investigators now say the motive was a long-simmering dispute over Radhika’s tennis academy, which she had been running independently. Deepak Yadav, reportedly unemployed, was upset by taunts from relatives in their native village of Wazirabad, who mocked him for “living off his daughter’s income.” This, he claimed in his confession, hurt his pride and pushed him into depression.

“He wanted her to shut down the academy, but she refused. That disagreement turned fatal,” Assistant Commissioner of Police Yashwant Yadav told the press.

The First Information Report (FIR), reported by Hindustan Times, states that Deepak Yadav had been feeling “mentally disturbed” for about two weeks before the incident. He admitted to buying and using his licensed revolver in a moment of rage.

Meanwhile, Radhika’s mother, Manju Yadav, has not given a formal statement. As per the FIR, she told police she was unwell and did not witness the shooting.

Radhika, a state-level tennis player with a national and ITF ranking history, was considered one of Haryana’s rising stars. Her tragic death has triggered an outpouring of grief in the sporting community, with many demanding a deeper conversation around mental health and family pressures in Indian sport.

Deepak Yadav’s brother, Kuldeep Yadav, who lived in the same house, narrated the incident.

“Today, I was at my house when around 10:30 a.m. I suddenly heard a loud bang. Hearing the noise, I went to the first floor where my brother lives and upon entering the house, I saw my niece, Radhika Yadav, lying in the kitchen and a revolver lying in the drawing room,” Kuldeep said.

“After that, my son Piyush Yadav and I went upstairs. We both lifted Radhika and took her in our car to the hospital, Sector 56, Gurugram, for treatment. After examination, the doctor declared my niece dead,” he added

“My niece had been shot. Radhika was a prominent tennis player who had won many trophies. I am shocked by her death and cannot understand why she was murdered. When I went to the first floor, only my brother Deepak, my sister-in-law Manju Yadav, and the deceased Radhika were present. My nephew Dheeraj Yadav was not there at the time; only these three were upstairs. The revolver found there was a licensed 32-bore revolver belonging to my brother Deepak,” Radika’s uncle stated.

Police continue to investigate the incident, with a focus on the psychological factors that led to this devastating act of violence.

— With inputs from IANS