Gurugram: Olympic gold medallist and javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has spoken out on the tragic murder of former tennis player Radhika Yadav, calling the incident deeply unfortunate and talking about the need to support and encourage women in the world of sports. In an exclusive interview that primarily covered Chopra’s upcoming tournaments and India’s sporting ambitions ahead of the potential 2036 Olympics bid, the javelin star was also asked about the recent killing of 25-year-old Radhika, allegedly by her own father. “I don’t know her background, but it is unfortunate. I hope women are not treated this way and are given more and more chances. We have seen how women are performing in sports so they have shown what they are capable of, and I hope this trend continues. What has happened is very sad,” Chopra said. Radhika Yadav Murder: Clash Over Tennis AcademyRadhika Yadav, a former tennis player who ran a tennis academy in Gurugram’s upscale Sushant Lok area, was fatally shot last week by her father, Deepak Yadav. Investigations have revealed that tensions had been brewing within the family over Radhika's decision to pursue an independent career in sport. According to police sources, Deepak Yadav had recently returned from a visit to his native village, where locals criticised him for letting his daughter run the academy. He was reportedly labelled a "bad father" for supporting a woman-led venture, which led to personal humiliation and anger. Back home, he confronted Radhika and demanded that she shut down the academy. Radhika, however, refused. She reminded him that he had invested Rs 2 crore in the facility and questioned why she should close something they had built together. Police say the disagreement spiralled into a tragic chain of events. Over the next three days, Deepak was reportedly consumed by conflicting thoughts, oscillating between ending his own life or harming his daughter. On the third day, while Radhika was in the kitchen cooking, Deepak shot her from behind with his licensed .32 bore revolver. Three bullets struck her, one in the lower back, and two in the chest. She died on the spot. Her uncle Kuldeep Yadav, who lives on the ground floor of the same house, rushed upstairs after hearing what he described as a “loud explosion”. “I saw my niece Radhika lying in a pool of blood in the kitchen, and the revolver was found in the drawing room,” he told police in his complaint. He and his son took her to a hospital, where she was declared dead. Radhika Yadav Murder: Investigation OngoingDeepak Yadav was arrested shortly after the incident and has confessed to the killing. Police are probing all aspects of the case, including the role of Radhika’s mother, Manju Yadav, who was reportedly in the same part of the house at the time of the murder — a detail contested by her own statements. “Radhika used to run a tennis academy, and her father was not happy with it,” said Gurugram police spokesperson Sandeep Singh.