Deleted Phone Data Under Scrutiny as Police Probe Tennis Star’s Death in Alleged Filicide
Police have launched a digital forensics investigation into the deleted phone data of 25-year-old tennis star Radhika Yadav, who was allegedly shot dead by her father, Deepak Yadav, inside their Gurugram home last Thursday.
Authorities are focusing on her iPhone in hopes that recovered messages, media files, and app data may shed light on the circumstances that led to the tragic incident. The device has been sent to Haryana’s Directorate of Information Technology (DITECH) for decryption and data retrieval.
Radhika, who reportedly deleted her social media accounts days before the incident, is now believed to have been operating a hidden Instagram account. The discovery coincides with a viral video by her close friend, Himaanshika Singh Rajput, who accused Deepak of premeditating the murder.
In the video, Rajput alleged that Deepak was controlling, jealous of Radhika’s growing prominence, and had imposed rigid curfews, mandatory video calls, and emotionally manipulative behavior. She further claimed that Radhika was mentally worn down and targeted with misogynistic slurs—some even suggesting sexual exploitation.
“These taunts fed into his fragile ego,” Rajput stated. She described Radhika as emotionally exhausted and isolated in her final days.
However, the family has pushed back strongly against the claims. A cousin of Radhika’s said the allegations are unfounded, insisting she received full support in her international tennis pursuits. “If there were restrictions, how did she travel the world, coach kids, and run a tennis academy?” the cousin argued, adding that the family bore the costs of her career.
Police confirm Deepak fired five shots, four of which struck Radhika—three in the back, one in the shoulder. Preliminary findings suggest the motive may involve resentment over taunts that he was dependent on her financially. The tennis academy she operated is believed to have been a source of tension at home.
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