September 19, 2025 • 11 mins
On a quiet Thursday morning in Gurugram, India, 25-year-old tennis coach Radhika Yadav was cooking in her family’s kitchen when she was shot in the back.
Radhika was a rising star in the tennis world—a state-level player turned coach with her own academy and a fierce determination to stand on her own. But inside her home, tensions had been simmering: her independence, her academy, even her clothes became points of conflict.
Police quickly zeroed in on one person, her father Deepak Yadav. And what they uncovered was a story of pride, resentment, and control that ended in a shocking act of violence within the walls of her own home.
**************************************
Do you have thoughts about this case, or is there a specific true crime case you’d like to hear about? Let me know with an email or a voice message: https://murderandlove.com/contact
Find the sources used in this episode and learn more about how to support Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide and gain access to even more cases, including bonus episodes, ad-free and intro-free cases, case files and more at: https://murderandlove.com
Music:
℗ lesfreemusic
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-and-murder-heartbreak-to-homicide--4348896/support.
Radhika was a rising star in the tennis world—a state-level player turned coach with her own academy and a fierce determination to stand on her own. But inside her home, tensions had been simmering: her independence, her academy, even her clothes became points of conflict.
Police quickly zeroed in on one person, her father Deepak Yadav. And what they uncovered was a story of pride, resentment, and control that ended in a shocking act of violence within the walls of her own home.
**************************************
Do you have thoughts about this case, or is there a specific true crime case you’d like to hear about? Let me know with an email or a voice message: https://murderandlove.com/contact
Find the sources used in this episode and learn more about how to support Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide and gain access to even more cases, including bonus episodes, ad-free and intro-free cases, case files and more at: https://murderandlove.com
Music:
℗ lesfreemusic
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-and-murder-heartbreak-to-homicide--4348896/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
On the morning of July tenth, twenty twenty five, around
ten thirty am, the silence of the Yadav household in Sushantloch, Gurugram,
India was broken by gunfire. Twenty five year old Radika
Yadav was in the kitchen preparing food while her mother
Manju cooked downstairs. When Manju heard the loud cracks, she
(00:24):
thought a pressure cooker had burst. Cool Deep Yadov, Radika's uncle,
who lived on the ground floor, ran upstairs to find
his niece lying in a pool of blood. His son Piyush,
helped carry her to Asia Maringo Hospital, but doctors declared
her dead on arrival. Cool Deep filed the formal complaint
at the Sector fifty six police station and police were
(00:45):
soon called to the home.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Welcome to Love and Murder, Heartbreak to Homicide were Kai's
AI co hosts here to bring you a Foreign Affairs
Friday case. On Fridays, Kai takes us beyond the US
to look at crimes from around the world, cases of love,
betrayal and murder that cross borders. Before we get into
today's case, a quick reminder that this podcast is listener funded.
(01:09):
That's why Kai started the Patreon so this show can
stay independent and focused on being a voice for the victims.
Patreon dot com Slash Love and Murder. When you join,
you're helping keep these stories alive, and you also get
a ton of extras bonus episodes, ad free listening, case files,
behind the scenes, and full exclusive series like serial Killer
(01:31):
Corner and Deadly Duos. You can even join for free
and still get some perks, but if you want the
full experience, sign up for a bonus tire at three
dollars per month and above at Patreon dot com Slash
Love and Murder. Now let's get into today's Foreign Affairs
Friday case. Side note this case is still ongoing, so
(01:51):
everything's set here is alleged.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Rodica was a promising athlete, a state level tennis player
who ranked seventy five and go eighteen thirty five in
women's singles and fifty three in women's doubles with the
All India Tennis Association. She once held an IF ranking
of nineteen ninety nine and played qualifying tournaments in Indoor
and Kuala Lumpur earlier that year. A graduate of Scottish
(02:18):
High International School, she'd gotten a shoulder injury which sidelined
her career. After that, Radika shifted her focus to coaching
and opened her own academy in Guragram, where she trained
young players and taught private lessons, including to high profile clients.
Friends described her as full of life, focused on tennis,
and deeply devoted to her father. She was usually heard
(02:42):
telling people that she just wanted to make him proud
of her.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
My father has invested so much money into my tennis.
I won't let it go to waste.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
She was known to make celebratory reels with her father
after winning trophies. Claims that she wanted to become a
social media influencer were dismissed by her closest friend.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
That's not what she was doing. Everyone shoots reels these days.
She liked makeup, so what's wrong with what she was doing.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
She was also preparing to go to college in Australia
and insisted on being financially independent. Her father, Deepak Yadav,
was a wealthy builder in his late forties or early fifties.
He owned multiple properties and earned about sixteen nine hundred
eighty dollars per month in rent. He also owned a
farmhouse and carried a licensed point three two bore revolver.
(03:31):
Even though he was successful and financially secure, relatives said
that Deepak struggled with insecurity and pride. He had spent
an estimated two hundred eighty three thousand dollars on Radika's
tennis career, and even once threatened to shoot a coach
who'd harassed her, warning him.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
If you say anything to my daughter, I will shoot you.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
His wife, however, described him as obsessive and short tempered.
She said that in the two weeks leading up to
the murder, he had been depressed and increasingly angry about
Radeka's tennis academy. Redeka lived with her parents and younger brother,
who was home at the time of the murder, on
the first floor of the house. Deepak's older son, Teerage,
(04:17):
lived separately, while cool Deep and his family lived downstairs.
The problems inside the home had been steadily building. Deepak
was said to resent Radeka's financial independence and the academy
she ran. He claimed that villagers mocked him, saying the
family was living off her earnings. Police said he told
her several times to close the academy, but she refused.
(04:40):
Arguments followed, and Manju told investigators her husband had been
angry for three days and threatened to kill Radika. Other
issues were also looked at. Some pointed to a real
Redeka had posted that her father may have disapproved of.
Others said the tension came from her clothing or the
fact act that she sometimes stayed out after classes. Her
(05:03):
friend mentioned she had been scolded at home for things
like wearing short tennis clothes and being out until eight pm.
They said, quote, you cannot play tennis in a suit,
and said that this pointed to evidence of her father
trying to curb her independence. The day before she died,
Radeka sent a quote black snap on Snapchat, something she
(05:25):
had never done before. The friend later.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Said, if I saw the snap, I would have asked
her about it. Maybe we would have spoken.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Now. Kai is not well versed in Snapchat because she's
never used it before and had to look up what
a black chat was. The answers confused her even more.
But she thinks that Radika might have posted a blank
picture like a black square. If she's wrong, please let
her know in the comments so she can more understand
what a black chat is.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
That morning, Deepak took his revolver from the bedroom, walked
into the kitchen where his daughter was innocently cooking, and
shot her. Some reports said he fired three bullets, others
said five, but were going to report five shots because
Kai found another account which said that four shots hit
Radika in the back, killing her instantly. Police found the
(06:16):
gun in the living room. Deepak was arrested at the
scene and police ruled out any honor killing angle. Instead,
they focused on the dispute inside the family.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
But the supposed family dispute was only due to the
father feeling humiliated, so based on that, wouldn't that be
considered what they would call an honor killing.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Assistant Commissioner of Police Yashwant Yadav confirmed the motive was
tied to the academy and the humiliation.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
He asked her repeatedly to shut the tennis academy, but
she refused. Arguments had taken place earlier as well. He
finally shot her dead over the same dispute.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Deepak's confession stayed consistent with the idea that his pride
was wound by taunts about living off his daughter's money,
but one acquaintance doubted this explanation, saying, when.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
There is so much money, who in the village will
say that he is living off his daughter's money. Deepak
is a very sophisticated man. He loves his daughter very much.
There may be a personal reason behind the murder, not
tennis or the tennis academy.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Manjou At first refused to give police a statement, saying
she was sick and had not seen anything, but later
she confirmed that he had threatened Radica. Investigators also looked
at other details, like who deleted Radika's social media accounts
and whether anyone else in the family had a role.
They did not rule out objections to her friendships or relationships,
(07:44):
but said the main motive was the academy and the
humiliation Deepak felt. On July eleventh, Deepak was remanded to
one day of police custody, then fourteen days on July twelfth,
so investigators could trace the ammunition for his revolt. They
searched his land in Kasan village near Rewari to recover it.
(08:05):
As of now, the case has not gone to trial.
Deepak Yadav's arrest, confession and the evidence found at the
scene stand, but no details are available yet on how
prosecutors will present the case in court or how the
defense will respond. The murder of Radika Yadav, a young
athlete and coach with plans for the future, shows how
(08:27):
pressures and resentments inside families can end violently. Her life
ended in the same house where she had built her dreams,
leaving behind grief, unanswered questions, and a family struggling to understand. Why.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
What did you think of this case? Can you believe
the audacity of this father? Now? Kai found some comments
on this case while doing her research and wanted us
to read some to you. Let's see if you agree
with some of the corments.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
The first commenter said, the whole thing is so so ad.
The father had raised a good daughter who became successful.
I thought that it was what all parents wanted for
their children to be better than they were. This father
took this to a dark place because he was jealous
and let his friends get into his head. His friends
were jealous because his daughter did very well. The father
(09:17):
snubbed out his daughter's life just because he couldn't handle
her success. Now that is tragedy. He has to live
with this for the rest of his life. Someone answered
that comment by saying, in Indian culture, shame is a
powerful social emotion closely linked to honor and social standing.
It's a significant factor in shaping behavior and is often
(09:38):
tied to family and community reputation. This can lead to
pressure to conform to social norms and expectations, even if
they conflict with individual desires. Individuals are expected to uphold
the honor of their families and communities, and actions that
bring shame can have serious repercussions. Shame is often imposed
on women for perceived transgressions of social norms, particularly those
(10:01):
related to family honor and behavior. Actions that might be
acceptable in private can be shameful in public due to
the fear of social judgment. Evidently, her father felt shame
since she was the breadwinner. I think they call it
honor killing. I call it murder. I don't understand the
culture of killing your own child. That's just insane in
(10:22):
my opinion. The next comment said, so the father's ego
was wounded. Daddy, dearest, now you'll have no life. Your
daughter created a life with dedication, athleticism and hard work.
Most dads would be proud. So sorry for the daughter, who,
by the way, was beautiful. Certainly must take after mom.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
And that's all the comments Kai wanted to share. And
that's it. For this episode of Love and Murder. What
did you think of this case? Do you share the
same sentiments of these commenters. Let us know in the
comments below, or join the conversation over on Patreon. Remember
this podcast is listener funded. That means no outside control,
no watered down cases, just the truth with the victim
(11:05):
in mind. When you join us at patreon dot com
slash Love and Murder, you're not only helping keep this
show going, you're also becoming part of our mission, and
for three dollars per month and above, you'll get access
to bonus cases, exclusive series, add free episodes, and more.
Thanks for listening, Thanks for your support, and we'll see
(11:26):
you in the next episode.
On the morning of July tenth, twenty twenty five, around
ten thirty am, the silence of the Yadav household in Sushantloch, Gurugram,
India was broken by gunfire. Twenty five year old Radika
Yadav was in the kitchen preparing food while her mother
Manju cooked downstairs. When Manju heard the loud cracks, she
(00:24):
thought a pressure cooker had burst. Cool Deep Yadov, Radika's uncle,
who lived on the ground floor, ran upstairs to find
his niece lying in a pool of blood. His son Piyush,
helped carry her to Asia Maringo Hospital, but doctors declared
her dead on arrival. Cool Deep filed the formal complaint
at the Sector fifty six police station and police were
(00:45):
soon called to the home.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Welcome to Love and Murder, Heartbreak to Homicide were Kai's
AI co hosts here to bring you a Foreign Affairs
Friday case. On Fridays, Kai takes us beyond the US
to look at crimes from around the world, cases of love,
betrayal and murder that cross borders. Before we get into
today's case, a quick reminder that this podcast is listener funded.
(01:09):
That's why Kai started the Patreon so this show can
stay independent and focused on being a voice for the victims.
Patreon dot com Slash Love and Murder. When you join,
you're helping keep these stories alive, and you also get
a ton of extras bonus episodes, ad free listening, case files,
behind the scenes, and full exclusive series like serial Killer
(01:31):
Corner and Deadly Duos. You can even join for free
and still get some perks, but if you want the
full experience, sign up for a bonus tire at three
dollars per month and above at Patreon dot com Slash
Love and Murder. Now let's get into today's Foreign Affairs
Friday case. Side note this case is still ongoing, so
(01:51):
everything's set here is alleged.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Rodica was a promising athlete, a state level tennis player
who ranked seventy five and go eighteen thirty five in
women's singles and fifty three in women's doubles with the
All India Tennis Association. She once held an IF ranking
of nineteen ninety nine and played qualifying tournaments in Indoor
and Kuala Lumpur earlier that year. A graduate of Scottish
(02:18):
High International School, she'd gotten a shoulder injury which sidelined
her career. After that, Radika shifted her focus to coaching
and opened her own academy in Guragram, where she trained
young players and taught private lessons, including to high profile clients.
Friends described her as full of life, focused on tennis,
and deeply devoted to her father. She was usually heard
(02:42):
telling people that she just wanted to make him proud
of her.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
My father has invested so much money into my tennis.
I won't let it go to waste.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
She was known to make celebratory reels with her father
after winning trophies. Claims that she wanted to become a
social media influencer were dismissed by her closest friend.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
That's not what she was doing. Everyone shoots reels these days.
She liked makeup, so what's wrong with what she was doing.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
She was also preparing to go to college in Australia
and insisted on being financially independent. Her father, Deepak Yadav,
was a wealthy builder in his late forties or early fifties.
He owned multiple properties and earned about sixteen nine hundred
eighty dollars per month in rent. He also owned a
farmhouse and carried a licensed point three two bore revolver.
(03:31):
Even though he was successful and financially secure, relatives said
that Deepak struggled with insecurity and pride. He had spent
an estimated two hundred eighty three thousand dollars on Radika's
tennis career, and even once threatened to shoot a coach
who'd harassed her, warning him.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
If you say anything to my daughter, I will shoot you.
Speaker 1 (03:54):
His wife, however, described him as obsessive and short tempered.
She said that in the two weeks leading up to
the murder, he had been depressed and increasingly angry about
Radeka's tennis academy. Redeka lived with her parents and younger brother,
who was home at the time of the murder, on
the first floor of the house. Deepak's older son, Teerage,
(04:17):
lived separately, while cool Deep and his family lived downstairs.
The problems inside the home had been steadily building. Deepak
was said to resent Radeka's financial independence and the academy
she ran. He claimed that villagers mocked him, saying the
family was living off her earnings. Police said he told
her several times to close the academy, but she refused.
(04:40):
Arguments followed, and Manju told investigators her husband had been
angry for three days and threatened to kill Radika. Other
issues were also looked at. Some pointed to a real
Redeka had posted that her father may have disapproved of.
Others said the tension came from her clothing or the
fact act that she sometimes stayed out after classes. Her
(05:03):
friend mentioned she had been scolded at home for things
like wearing short tennis clothes and being out until eight pm.
They said, quote, you cannot play tennis in a suit,
and said that this pointed to evidence of her father
trying to curb her independence. The day before she died,
Radeka sent a quote black snap on Snapchat, something she
(05:25):
had never done before. The friend later.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Said, if I saw the snap, I would have asked
her about it. Maybe we would have spoken.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Now. Kai is not well versed in Snapchat because she's
never used it before and had to look up what
a black chat was. The answers confused her even more.
But she thinks that Radika might have posted a blank
picture like a black square. If she's wrong, please let
her know in the comments so she can more understand
what a black chat is.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
That morning, Deepak took his revolver from the bedroom, walked
into the kitchen where his daughter was innocently cooking, and
shot her. Some reports said he fired three bullets, others
said five, but were going to report five shots because
Kai found another account which said that four shots hit
Radika in the back, killing her instantly. Police found the
(06:16):
gun in the living room. Deepak was arrested at the
scene and police ruled out any honor killing angle. Instead,
they focused on the dispute inside the family.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
But the supposed family dispute was only due to the
father feeling humiliated, so based on that, wouldn't that be
considered what they would call an honor killing.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Assistant Commissioner of Police Yashwant Yadav confirmed the motive was
tied to the academy and the humiliation.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
He asked her repeatedly to shut the tennis academy, but
she refused. Arguments had taken place earlier as well. He
finally shot her dead over the same dispute.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Deepak's confession stayed consistent with the idea that his pride
was wound by taunts about living off his daughter's money,
but one acquaintance doubted this explanation, saying, when.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
There is so much money, who in the village will
say that he is living off his daughter's money. Deepak
is a very sophisticated man. He loves his daughter very much.
There may be a personal reason behind the murder, not
tennis or the tennis academy.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
Manjou At first refused to give police a statement, saying
she was sick and had not seen anything, but later
she confirmed that he had threatened Radica. Investigators also looked
at other details, like who deleted Radika's social media accounts
and whether anyone else in the family had a role.
They did not rule out objections to her friendships or relationships,
(07:44):
but said the main motive was the academy and the
humiliation Deepak felt. On July eleventh, Deepak was remanded to
one day of police custody, then fourteen days on July twelfth,
so investigators could trace the ammunition for his revolt. They
searched his land in Kasan village near Rewari to recover it.
(08:05):
As of now, the case has not gone to trial.
Deepak Yadav's arrest, confession and the evidence found at the
scene stand, but no details are available yet on how
prosecutors will present the case in court or how the
defense will respond. The murder of Radika Yadav, a young
athlete and coach with plans for the future, shows how
(08:27):
pressures and resentments inside families can end violently. Her life
ended in the same house where she had built her dreams,
leaving behind grief, unanswered questions, and a family struggling to understand. Why.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
What did you think of this case? Can you believe
the audacity of this father? Now? Kai found some comments
on this case while doing her research and wanted us
to read some to you. Let's see if you agree
with some of the corments.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
The first commenter said, the whole thing is so so ad.
The father had raised a good daughter who became successful.
I thought that it was what all parents wanted for
their children to be better than they were. This father
took this to a dark place because he was jealous
and let his friends get into his head. His friends
were jealous because his daughter did very well. The father
(09:17):
snubbed out his daughter's life just because he couldn't handle
her success. Now that is tragedy. He has to live
with this for the rest of his life. Someone answered
that comment by saying, in Indian culture, shame is a
powerful social emotion closely linked to honor and social standing.
It's a significant factor in shaping behavior and is often
(09:38):
tied to family and community reputation. This can lead to
pressure to conform to social norms and expectations, even if
they conflict with individual desires. Individuals are expected to uphold
the honor of their families and communities, and actions that
bring shame can have serious repercussions. Shame is often imposed
on women for perceived transgressions of social norms, particularly those
(10:01):
related to family honor and behavior. Actions that might be
acceptable in private can be shameful in public due to
the fear of social judgment. Evidently, her father felt shame
since she was the breadwinner. I think they call it
honor killing. I call it murder. I don't understand the
culture of killing your own child. That's just insane in
(10:22):
my opinion. The next comment said, so the father's ego
was wounded. Daddy, dearest, now you'll have no life. Your
daughter created a life with dedication, athleticism and hard work.
Most dads would be proud. So sorry for the daughter, who,
by the way, was beautiful. Certainly must take after mom.
Speaker 3 (10:42):
And that's all the comments Kai wanted to share. And
that's it. For this episode of Love and Murder. What
did you think of this case? Do you share the
same sentiments of these commenters. Let us know in the
comments below, or join the conversation over on Patreon. Remember
this podcast is listener funded. That means no outside control,
no watered down cases, just the truth with the victim
(11:05):
in mind. When you join us at patreon dot com
slash Love and Murder, you're not only helping keep this
show going, you're also becoming part of our mission, and
for three dollars per month and above, you'll get access
to bonus cases, exclusive series, add free episodes, and more.
Thanks for listening, Thanks for your support, and we'll see
(11:26):
you in the next episode.
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