Police in Gurugram say the murder of 25-year-old tennis player Radhika Yadav was not a spontaneous act of rage, but a deliberate killing planned by her father, Deepak Yadav.
Investigators revealed on Friday that the 51-year-old builder confessed to planning the attack after weeks of growing tension.
Radhika was shot four times in the back while cooking breakfast inside their Sushant Lok-2 home around 10:30am on Thursday.
“He admitted during questioning that he planned the murder,” said Sandeep Kumar, spokesperson for Gurugram Police.
The motive, according to officials, centers on Deepak’s frustration over social ridicule. Villagers from Wazirabad, the family’s native place, allegedly taunted him for letting his daughter earn and live freely.
“He used to buy milk every morning. But on Thursday, he sent his son instead,” Kumar said. “Once he was alone with Radhika, he shot her.”
A neighbor from Wazirabad added another layer. According to the 47-year-old man, Deepak was unhappy with Radhika’s choice of a romantic partner from another caste. “He wanted her to marry within the caste. He was old school,” the neighbor said.
So far, police say no financial strain or immediate domestic dispute has emerged as a primary cause. Deepak has told investigators that repeated taunts from villagers wounded his pride.
“I told my daughter to shut her tennis academy. People mocked me, said I lived off her income. She refused. That hurt,” Deepak reportedly told police.
The case has also raised questions about the role of Radhika’s mother, Manju Yadav. She was at home during the murder but claimed illness and said she didn’t witness anything. Police say she has refused to provide a written statement.
“There is some ambiguity about her knowledge of the plan,” Kumar said.
Deepak was produced before a city court on Friday and sent to one-day police remand for further questioning. Police have not ruled out requesting an extended remand.
Radhika was a player on the rise. A graduate of Scottish High International School, she had climbed the international doubles rankings, touching a career-high of 113 late last year while holding the number five spot in Haryana.
Even a shoulder injury couldn’t slow her down; while recovering, she threw herself into her next dream, opening her own tennis academy just this past March.
Relatives and close friends say her success had become a point of pride for the family. They’re struggling to understand what changed.
“Deepak used to travel with her. He supported her career. He used to say she’d go far,” said Raju Yadav, a family member.
Another relative added, “His son recently launched a real estate business. The family was doing well. There was no financial burden or pressure.”
But police say Deepak had been under emotional strain for about 15 days. In his confession, he described feeling humiliated and isolated by constant criticism from people back in the village.
“He told us he committed a sin. He kept saying ‘I’ve done wrong,’ and broke down in the lockup,” said a relative who met him after the arrest.
The murder has reignited public conversation around caste prejudice, women’s independence, and the fragile nature of male pride in deeply conservative circles.
No charges have been filed yet against any other family member. The investigation continues.
