Chandigarh: A 25?year?old rising tennis star Radhika Yadav was shot thrice allegedly by her father inside their home in Sector 57, Gurugram, a crime that has rattled Punjab and Haryana’s sporting and parental conscience alike.



According to police sources, her father opened fire at around 12?noon. Radhika was struck by one bullet in her torso, then two more at point?blank range. She was rushed to a private hospital in a critical condition, but doctors pronounced her dead upon arrival.



Authorities recovered the revolver at the scene, and her father was promptly arrested, said Deputy Commissioner of Police Anuj Gupta.



Deepak, used his licensed firearm to shoot Radhika three times. He has confessed to the crime and has been arrested. His brother, Kuldeep Yadav, who lives on the ground floor, filed the complaint. Police have visited the scene and launched further investigation.



Citing sources, PTI reported that Radhika's father Deepak Yadav, 49, confessed that he shot at Radhika because he was often taunted for living off her income.



Police said that a tennis academy, which Radhika used to run, was the bone of contention between them.



"Radhika used to run a tennis academy, and her father was not happy with it," Gurugram police spokesperson Sandeep Singh said.



As per FIR, Deepak told the police he had been depressed for the last 15 days due to social pressure and criticism, the HT report stated. He said his pride was hurt and he could no longer bear the humiliation.



While the primary dispute appears to be over the tennis academy, Gurugram police said they are also examining other angles. These include the father’s possible objection to Radhika’s relationship or to videos she posted on Instagram.



Radhika was not simply a local player, she was recognized as a national?level athlete with promising potential, having competed in both the Indian Tennis Federation (ITF) and the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) events. Her best ITF singles ranking was approximately world No. 1638, with participation in a notable W15 tournament in Tunisia in June 2024.



She also competed in a 2017 Gwalior event against Taiwanese player Hsin?Yuan Shih. Registered with the All India Tennis Association, she was viewed as among the most promising young women in Indian tennis.




(With inputs from agencies)