Promising tennis star shot dead by dad after Instagram row

Promising ITF star Radhika Yadav was shot dead by her father following a row over her work and alleged Instagram activity. The 25-year-old tennis player died after being rushed to hospital with three bullet wounds.

According to the First Information Report filed by police - a charge of murder - her father, Deepak Yadav, had grown upset with his daughter for continuing to run a tennis academy despite his objections. However, according to Gulf News, unverified claims allege that Deepak was also annoyed with Yadav's Instagram activity. It is alleged, that he had grown angered by her use of the reels feature on the social media platform. That has not been confirmed by the police, though.

"He (Deepak) had been upset for a while as he was being taunted by locals over his daughter's income. He was troubled by their remarks - they would keep saying the house is running on her money, and he is too dependent on that. He had asked her (Radhika) several times earlier to stop working at the academy, but she refused. He could not take it anymore," the Station House Officer Inspector Vinod Kumar told The Indian Express.

No other family member is said to have been present when Deepak shot his daughter at their family residence in Gurugram. Yadav was rushed to hospital but succumbed to her injuries shortly after. Emergency services informed the police soon after her death. Indian news channel NDTV claim that Deepak admitted his crime to the police.

Yadav was one of Indian tennis' rising stars and featured in several national and international tournaments. She played in 36 singles and seven doubles matches under the ITF banner. The governing body's website suggests that she has not played in a competitive event since March 2024.

Although it has been over a year since Yadav played competitively, it has been established that she opened a tennis academy. The academy is said to be at the centre of Deepak's motivations, which are yet to be fully investigated by police.

The police reportedly said that Deepak's income came from being the landlord of a number of small properties. Many of Yadav's tennis colleagues have expressed their shock over the incident and have paid tribute to a hard-working individual.

Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances around Yadav's death.