Radhika targeted for wearing shorts, talking to boys: Best friend slams father

Days after Radhika Yadav was shot dead by her father, her best friend, Himanshika Singh, has broken her silence, saying that the tennis player felt suffocated at home as her family "had issues with almost everything."

Having known her since 2012, Himanshika claimed that Radhika was often targeted for wearing shorts, talking to boys, and living life on her own terms.

In a video released by Himanshika, she revealed that Radhika’s movements were tightly controlled, with fixed times for going out and returning home.

"When she used to be on a video call with me, she had to show her parents who she was talking to. Even though the tennis academy was just 15 minutes away from her home, she was given strict deadlines for when she had to return," claimed Himanshika.

"Radhika’s family was quite orthodox and had issues with almost everything," she added.

In another hard-hitting post, Himanshika criticised Radhika's father for making her life "miserable" with his "controlling, constant criticism."

"He made her life miserable for years with his controlling behaviour and constant criticism... They shamed her for wearing shorts, for talking to boys, for living life on her own terms," she wrote.

Himanshika remembered her best friend as a "kind soul, sweet and innocent." She also said that Radhika liked shooting videos and taking photos.

"Gradually, all her hobbies, like shooting videos, disappeared. She faced extreme pressure at home. There was societal pressure on the family. The parents were always worried about what people would say. They were very orthodox," she said.

"She didn’t interact much with anyone. She was mostly surrounded by her parents. There were a lot of restrictions at home. She felt suffocated. She had to be answerable for everything," she added.

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