Three days after the death of Tennis star Radhika Yadav, a video from an Instagram account with the name Himaanshika is making the rounds on the internet. The clip features a girl named Himaanshika, claiming to be Radhika’s best friend.
Himaanshika uploaded two videos on Instagram — one in which she spoke about her best friend, and another featuring a montage of photos and short clips of Radhika.
“My best friend Radhika was murdered by her own father. He shot her five times. Four bullets hit her. He’d made her life miserable for years with his controlling, constant criticism. In the end, he listened to so-called friends who were jealous of her success," she wrote in the caption.
“She worked so hard in her tennis career and even built her own academy. She was doing so well for herself. But they couldn’t stand to see her independent. They shamed her for wearing shorts, for talking to boys, for living life on her own terms.
She was rushed to the hospital, but she didn’t make it," the caption added.
The clip opens with Himaanshia saying,"You must have heard a lot about Radhika Singh but let me tell you Radhika Yadav’s truth. My name is Himaanshika Singh, Radhika Yadav was my best friend, we were very close since last 8-10 years and I just lost her."
She also stated that she made this video only to tell people who Radhika really was.
“Radhika Yadav was an international tennis player. She was a kind soul, very sweet and innocent. She loved getting her pictures clicked and making videos."
She further also talked about a viral music video featuring Radhika and said that her father himself dropped the tennis player on the day the video had to be shot; however, she added that he also did not like her doing all these things as they were concerned about people talking about his daughter.
“Her family always faced societal pressure; they were always orthodox. Radhika and I started playing together back in 2013. We travelled together and played many matches as a team. I never saw her talk much with anyone — she was always with her parents," she added.
“She had been suffering for a long time. She often felt suffocated at home because she had to constantly explain herself — why she was doing something, what she was doing, and who she was talking to," Himanshika said.
She recalled that even during video calls, Radhika had to show her phone screen to prove she was talking to her. “Her tennis academy was just 50 meters from her house, yet she was expected to be there and return at exact timings," she added.
Describing Radhika as a dedicated coach, Himaanshika said, “She was a wonderful coach. All her students liked and respected her."
In a second video uploaded from her Instagram, Himaanshika shared several pictures and videos of Radhika.
Radhika Yadav Murder
Tennis star Radhika Yadav was killed on June 10 at her own home in Gurugram by her father, Deepak Yadav. Deepak, who was arrested on the same day, has confessed to the crime. He has said that he was upset over the taunts about living off his daughter’s income. An investigation into the case is currently undergoing.
