The actor, who appeared alongside Radhika Yadav in a viral music video, on Friday clarified that “he had no connection to her” beyond their professional interaction. Radhika Yadav, a former tennis player, was allegedly shot dead by her father, Deepak Yadav, at their home in Gurugram. Actor Inam-ul-Haq, who appeared in a music video with former tennis player Radhika Yadav, said she was just a co-actor to him. (ANI)

Speaking to ANI from Dubai, actor Inam-ul-Haq said he met Radhika for the first time during the Tennis Premier League in Dubai and later worked with her in a music video. He also claimed that the video is on YouTube, which is why it is being repeatedly highlighted.

“I met her (Radhika) for the first time in the Tennis Premier League, which was held in Dubai. After that, I met her in a music video. She was an actor to me. I have worked with many actresses. She just came for the shooting of the music video, and then she left. We just gave her a good luck amount. The production of the video was unpaid. After that, we never contacted,” Inam-ul-Haq said.

The actor also lamented that the incident is being given a Hindu-Muslim angle as well. “I don’t know why it is being done. I don’t have to do anything with this case…Radhika has no social media. There is just a video clip on YouTube, that’s why it is being highlighted repeatedly.”

The 25-year-old woman was allegedly shot at point-blank range by her father, 51-year-old Deepak Yadav, at their three-storey residence in Gurugram’s upscale Sushant Lok area on Thursday. The police said she was in the kitchen preparing a meal for her mother, Manju Yadav, who was celebrating her birthday.

According to the autopsy, Radhika was shot four times in the back.

What did Radhika’s father say during confession?

Deepak Yadav has confessed to killing his daughter, and initial findings from the police investigation point to a mix of social pressure, patriarchal mindset, and personal ego as contributing factors behind the incident.

According to officials, during questioning, Deepak told police, “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. Some people even questioned my daughter’s character. I told my daughter to close her tennis academy, but she refused. This situation kept bothering me as it hurt my dignity.”

He further admitted, “Because of this tension, I took out my licensed revolver, and when my daughter Radhika was cooking in the kitchen, I shot her from behind, hitting her waist. I have killed my daughter.”

On Friday, Deepak was presented before a city court, which granted police a one-day remand for further interrogation. Investigators said they would question him on multiple aspects to verify the details of his confession.

‘Deepak unhappy as daughter wanted to marry outside caste’

In their native village of Wazirabad, a longtime neighbour claimed that Deepak Yadav was upset over his daughter Radhika’s choice of partner.

“Radhika wanted to marry someone outside her caste but her father wanted the marriage in the same caste. He was old school and conservative,” the 47-year-old neighbour told Hindustan Times, requesting anonymity.

Meanwhile, Gurugram police said no motive beyond the alleged taunts from villagers and Deepak’s subsequent demand that his daughter shut down her tennis academy has emerged so far. “No other motive other than Deepak’s decision asking his daughter to shut down the academy after taunts by villagers has surfaced… We are further quizzing him to corroborate several more things,” said Sandeep Kumar, public relations officer of Gurugram police.

Kumar added that the investigation is also examining the role of Radhika’s mother, Manju Yadav. “He hasn’t given a clear reason yet, nor confirmed if his wife was aware of the plan – but it appears she may have had some knowledge,” Kumar said.