National Tennis Player Radhika Yadav Shot by Father in Gurugram Allegedly over Taunts and Academy Dispute
GURUGRAM, Haryana, India: July 11, 2025, Radhika Yadav, a 25-year-old national-level tennis player and academy owner, was allegedly shot dead by her father, Deepak Yadav (49), at their very own home, Sushant Lok, Sector 57, Gurugram, on the morning of July 10, 2025, a Thursday. The tragedy struck while Radhika was allegedly on the upper floor preparing some food in the kitchen.
Murder Incident and Confession
According to Gurugram Police, Deepak Yadav shot at least five bullets from his licensed. 32-bore revolver, and three of them struck Radhika fatally in the back. On hearing the very loud bangs, Kuldeep Yadav, who stays on the ground floor, raced upstairs and found Radhika with the pool of blood at her feet. She was rushed to the hospital in Sector 56, where doctors declared her dead on arrival.
Deepak Yadav was arrested soon after the incident and has admitted the crime. The police have also recovered the licensed revolver used during the shooting.
Motive Under Investigation: Taunts and Academy Dispute
Though Deepak Yadav has confessed, the actual motive for the heinous act remains a highlighted focus for the police inquiry. According to police sources and the confession made by Deepak during questioning, he was reportedly “deeply troubled” and “humiliated” by the taunts of villagers back in his native Wazirabad about him sharing in his daughter’s income. Allegedly, this gave rise to the ire.
According to Gurugram police spokesperson Sandeep Singh, Radhika’s tennis academy was the other big bone of contention—the academy, which she ran in Sector 57. She ran the academy, and Deepak Yadav had repeatedly asked Radhika to shut it down, but she did not comply with the request. These arguments reportedly escalated into a matter that turned fatal. While some early reports suggested that disputes arose over Radhika’s activities on social media or a music video, the police have mostly focused on the academy and the “taunts” as the main motivation.
Radhika Yadav: An Impressive Tennis Career
Radhika Yadav was quite an established name in the Indian tennis circuit. Radhika had competed on the junior international circuit and achieved a career-high ranking of 113 in the ITF women’s doubles and fifth in Haryana’s women’s doubles as of November 4, 2024. After suffering from a shoulder injury, she transitioned into coaching and started her own academy to train much younger players.
Friends and colleagues describe her as a “humble, polite, and hard-working girl,” and her death has sent shockwaves through the sporting community, as well as her locality. Radhika’s mother, Manju Yadav, was also present in the house during the incident and is having her statement recorded as part of the ongoing investigation.
Wider Implications and Community Reactions
The incident demonstrates the kinds of puzzles that familial relationships and societal expectations may create. Though reports indicate that Deepak Yadav owns several properties and has good monthly rental income, he was said to have an insecurity about being viewed as financially dependent on the daughter.
Investigations are still carried out into every possible facet of the case in order to fully determine the circumstances that led to this tragic outcome. The residents in Gurugram can’t quite seem to believe that a father murdered his own child with such talent at such a young age.
