Police are now focusing on the mobile phone of 25-year-old tennis player Radhika Yadav to find out more about the events leading up to her tragic death. Radhika was allegedly shot dead by her father, Deepak Yadav, at their home in Gurugram’s Sushant Lok area last Thursday. The 49-year-old father has been arrested and has reportedly confessed to the crime.

Investigators have sent Radhika’s iPhone to DITECH—the Department of Information Technology, Electronics and Communication, Government of Haryana—to unlock the device. Police believe the phone could contain important deleted messages, media, or chats that may help explain what happened.

Police sources said the phone was locked and the parents did not know the password. They also said Radhika had deleted her social media accounts just days before the murder. This could be a key detail in understanding her state of mind or any threats she may have faced.

About the case

A 25-year-old national-level tennis player, Radhika Yadav, was shot dead by her father at their home in Gurugram. Police say the incident took place after months of growing tensions in the family, especially related to Radhika’s financial independence, her social media activity, and a music video she had appeared in.

The accused, Deepak Yadav, 49, was a former bank employee and Radhika’s father. He confessed to killing her during police questioning and has been arrested. According to the police, he shot his daughter three times while she was preparing food in the kitchen at around 10:30 am. Radhika’s uncle, Kuldeep Yadav, who lives on the ground floor of the same house, heard the gunshots and rushed upstairs to find her lying on the floor. He then took her to Asia Maringo Hospital in Sector 56, but doctors declared her dead.

Police say that the relationship between Radhika and her father had become tense over the last few months. Deepak was reportedly upset with Radhika’s growing popularity and her decision to open her own tennis academy in Sector 57, Gurugram. He had asked her several times to shut it down.

Another issue that may have led to the murder was Radhika’s appearance in a music video titled Karwaan. The video, which was released a year ago by independent artist INAAM under the LLF Records label, shows Radhika in several scenes with the singer. Sources close to the investigation told NDTV that Deepak had asked her to delete the video from her social media accounts.

According to police, Deepak felt ashamed due to taunts from people in his village, Wazirabad, who commented that he was living off his daughter’s earnings. In his statement to the police, he said, "When I used to go to Wazirabad village to get milk, people used to taunt me, saying that I live off my daughter's earnings. This troubled me a lot. Some people even questioned my daughter's character. I told my daughter to close her tennis academy, but she refused."

Police believe these comments from villagers deeply hurt Deepak and increased his anger toward Radhika. She had recently suffered a shoulder injury during a tennis match and had started coaching young players instead of competing. Despite her injury, she chose not to leave tennis and remained financially independent.

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