A gruesome tale of jealousy and abuse unfolded in Gurugram, India, on Wednesday, July 10, when Radhika Yadav, a 25-year-old national-level tennis player, was fatally shot by her own father inside their duplex home.
According to police, 49-year-old Deepak Yadav, fired five bullets at his daughter while she was cooking breakfast—three of them striking her in the back—after being humiliated by villagers who mocked him for living off her earnings.
“He was ashamed, angry, and felt like people were laughing at him,” an investigator said. “That shame turned into rage, and he killed her for it.”
A father fatally shot his successful athlete daughter out of jealousy, neighbors were mocking him for “living off of her earnings”
Image credits: Prashant Gurung
The fatal attack took place shortly after 10:30 am. Only Radhika, her father, and her mother, Manju, were present in the home. Her younger brother was away at the time.
According to investigators, the incident followed a heated argument between father and daughter, part of an ongoing conflict that had escalated in recent weeks.
Image credits: Team Tennis India
Mr. Yadav had been pressuring Radhika to shut down the tennis academy she had founded in Gurugram, an endeavor that had become both her livelihood and legacy. Despite his repeated demands, she refused to comply.
Radhika, once a competitive athlete who represented Haryana in national tournaments and played 36 singles and 7 doubles matches under the International Tennis Federation, had transitioned into coaching after her last singles appearance in March 2024.
Image credits: Team Tennis India
Friends described her as ambitious, grounded, and committed to helping young athletes break into the sport. Her mission was especially important to girls who looked up to her as a figure who succeeded despite facing the country’s gender bias.
However, the same success that made her an inspirational figure became a source of humiliation for her father.
The father offered no resistance and confirmed that his actions were driven by jealousy and shame
Image credits: IPS
Residents in their native village of Wazirabad, outside Gurugram, had mocked Deepak for his daughter’s independence and growing fame, taunting him for not contributing to the family’s wealth.
Although he earned a modest income from rental properties, the balance of power at home had shifted, and with it, his pride.
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“He could not stand the thought of people calling him useless,” a police official said. “And she wouldn’t stop doing the very thing that made them say it.”
At the time of the shooting, Radhika was in the kitchen preparing breakfast when her father approached her with his licensed revolver and opened fire. Her uncle, Kuldeep Yadav, who lived on the ground floor of the same building, said he heard loud bangs and ran upstairs only to find his niece lying in a pool of blood.
Desperate, he carried Radhika’s body and rushed her to Asia Maringo Hospital in their car, but it was too late.
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The initial police report stated Radhika had been shot from behind. However, a postmortem report later contradicted that version, revealing four bullets had entered her chest.
Inside the home, officers recovered the murder weapon, live cartridges, and additional forensic evidence.
Deepak Yadav was immediately arrested at the scene and later confessed to the crime. He has been charged with murder and unlawful possession and use of a firearm under the Indian Penal Code and remains in custody.
Radhika had become a beloved figure in her community, especially among girls who looked up to her
Image credits: Ahmet Kurt
Speaking to local media, Deepak confirmed that he had shot his daughter due to her refusal to close her academy which, in his mind, was the source of the ridicule he was receiving from his neighbors.
“They said I lived off her money,” he told authorities.
Manju, Radhika’s mother, has not provided a detailed statement. Officers said she was unwell and remained in her room during the incident.
Image credits: brownhistory
Authorities expect Deepak to face trial later this year. Meanwhile, tributes have poured in for Radhika, remembering her as a promising athlete, mentor, and fighter who never stopped pushing forward for equality in sports.
“She was more than a player,” one former teammate said. “She was a symbol of what women can achieve. And she was taken by the very person who should have protected her.”
"Makes me sick." Netizens took to social media to express their outrage over the incident
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