Radhika Yadav's murder and what it says about the fragile masculinity prevalent in India
The killing of state level tennis player Radhika Yadav, who decided to set up her own academy, is a symbol of how men can perceive their own daughters as a 'threat'. He had even asked her to stop working at the academy. Embarrassed by constant remarks from neighbours that he was living off his daughter's income, he chose the path less (read: more) travelled by Indian men -- punishing women to exercise dominance over them.
In her recent article 'Mapping masculine anxieties and female homo-sociality in P. Sivakami's novels', Dr. Keerthana, a PhD holder in gender theories from IIT Madras, describes such cases as 'ricochet behaviour' wherein threatened masculinity manifests itself in violent forms.
It is notable that this led to his masculinity tainting -- even destroying -- the bond between father and daughter. He was reportedly unhappy that she made reels and featured in music videos. Moreover, according to investigators, the crime was premeditated as he asked his son to go out to buy milk -- a task he usually did himself -- before allegedly firing four rounds into his daughter's back.
According to Habiba Zafar, working as a project coordinator in an NGO for women's causes, 'This tragic case is a poignant reminder that real progress is not merely about women shattering glass ceilings but it is about transforming the mentality that perceives their independence as disobedience.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
Indian tourist arrested in Pattaya for stealing ₹16,000 from transgender woman
A 34-year-old Indian man, allegedly intoxicated, was arrested in Thailand's Pattaya for reportedly stealing cash from the purse of a transgender woman he had met on Walking Street -- a location well known for its nightlife. The 27-year-old transgender woman, identified as Nong Ploy, filed a police complaint on July 18, accusing the man of stealing 7,000 baht (approximately ₹ 16,100), The Pattaya News reported. Ploy told the media outlet that she met the suspect at an Indian-themed pub on Walking Street, where they struck up a conversation and later decided to continue drinking at his guesthouse room. Upon her arrival, the man allegedly persuaded her to take a shower. When she came out, she noticed him closing a safe in a suspicious manner. On checking her belongings, she realised that 7,000 baht had been stolen from her bag. When she tried to leave, the suspect reportedly stopped her and prevented her from exiting the room. Hotel staff intervened after hearing the woman's cries for help and alerted the police. Nong stated that the man appeared intoxicated and possibly under the influence of drugs, displaying erratic behaviour, including sticking out his tongue and acting in a bizarre manner. Thai police have detained the man, and he remains in custody. An investigation has been launched. In a similar incident, a 38-year-old Indian man was arrested for allegedly stealing items worth ₹ 3.5 lakh from 14 shops at Singapore's Jewel Changi Airport before flying out of the country. According to The Straits Times, the stolen goods included perfumes, cosmetics, and bags worth a total of SGD 5,136. The suspect left Singapore after committing the thefts but was arrested on June 1 upon returning and transiting through Changi Airport. The Singapore Police Force (SPF) confirmed his arrest in a press release on July 23, stating that the stolen items had been recovered. He is expected to be charged with theft and fraudulent possession of property on July 25. The thefts first came to light when a retail supervisor discovered a missing bag during a stock-taking exercise. CCTV footage revealed the man stealing the item and leaving the shop without paying. Authorities identified him, but he had already left the country by then. Police later warned, 'Offenders should not think that they can evade capture by quickly boarding a flight."
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
IOA panel to urge ministry for criminal law on doping substance peddlers
The seven-member committee of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), set up to tackle doping in the country, will recommend the sports ministry to pass a law that will make peddling of performance-enhancing drugs and selling banned substances in open market a criminal activity. IOA executive council member Rohit Rajpal, who is heading the panel, said organised drug rackets have been playing a part in the dope menace and the committee will make guidelines and recommendations to deal with the matter in a very aggressive manner. "The IOA is very serious about the doping menace. We (the panel) want to recommend the sports ministry to make a law so that peddling of performance-enhancing drugs and selling these banned substances in open market become a criminal activity. Let's see," Rajpal, a former India tennis player, told PTI on Thursday. The panel was formed after India's poor doping record was flagged by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) during a national delegation's visit to push for the 2036 Olympic bid. India had last month topped the World Anti-Doping Agency's 2023 testing figures among countries which analysed 5,000 or more samples with a high positivity rate of 3.8 per cent for banned substances. Former Athletics Federation of India (AFI) president Adille Sumariwalla was the one who had advocated making use of performance-enhancing substances a criminal offence, but drug cheats are still not liable for penal action under existing Indian laws. Rajpal, a former Davis Cupper, made it clear that he was not talking about making athletes liable to penal action for doping. "I am not talking about the athletes but about the drug peddlers. The amount of banned and performance-enhancing drugs available in the market is too high. And organised rackets pushed these drugs all over the country," he said. "Many of our athletes are from humble backgrounds and don't have much awareness about which drug is permissible to be used and which is banned. That is a problem and we have to work on that aspect also," added Rajpal, who is also the IOA Anti-Doping chairman. He said that coaches also play a big role in this menace. Earlier, while addressing an IOA press conference, Rajpal talked about "holistic doping prevention programme" that his committee will look at. "In recent months there has been growing global spotlight on doping and the challenges athletes face in navigating complex anti-doping rules. While India has made significant strides in the fight against doping through the efforts of NADA, federations and athlete support teams, it is clear that much more needs to be done at grassroots and education level. "People who are pushing these kind of supplements or performance enhancing drugs, which are second and third generation in this country, it's become an organised racket pushing these drugs all over the country and the athletes mostly don't even know what they are having. "So, all these areas are going to be attacked by all of us in a very aggressive manner and hopefully we will have a free and fair sport going forward," he said. He said the IOA is launching a dedicated anti-doping education programme with immediate effect. "The committee will be responsible for designing and rolling out a sustained anti-doping education and awareness campaign targeting athletes at all levels from grassroots to elite, coaches and support staff, federation administrators and sports officials and most importantly parents and guardians of young athletes. "The idea here is that through education and awareness, we are going to try to reach the last corner of this country to educate athletes as to what they are using. "At the same time, there are labs that are being at the moment looked into and analysed. When they can come, more and more testing can happen and those labs can be accredited for this programme," said Rajpal who has earlier served at NADA Anti-Doping Panels. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
ED conducts midnight searches at‘ illegal' call centres in Tricity
The Chandigarh Zonal Office (CDZO-I) of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out searches at what it described as illegal call centres, which were accused of duping foreign nationals, across the Tricity on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. According to the agency, these companies operated by setting up overseas entities to receive fraudulent funds via payment gateways, which were then funnelled back to India through banking channels and hawala. On their websites, the firms claimed to offer software support services, including web designing and fixed wireless internet, but provided no details of promoters, directors, or team members. 'The entire business was run clandestinely. Even employees lacked proficiency in software or BPO operations,' an ED official said. One such firm allegedly ran a fake call centre under the name Bios Tech, USA, falsely claiming to offer support for Microsoft, HP, routers and other hardware. The directors failed to produce any agreements or certifications authorising them or their affiliates to provide technical support for these brands. The investigation agency found the Indian company was monitoring Bios Tech's backend and controlling its finances. The US entity was also operated by Indian nationals, with its director listed as a close associate of the Indian promoters. Analysis of seized call transcripts confirmed the operation of tech-fraud schemes. The IP address of the Indian firm's website also hosted a spoof site of Geek Squad, a well-known US tech firm. The ED alleged the directors were engaged in such spoofing without obtaining proper licences. Two other firms were also found to have been involved in similar fraudulent activities since 2016, according to the agency. One such firm purportedly offered tech support to CTS Mobility, a US company owned by a close relative of the Indian operators. The ED cited emails and WhatsApp chats that revealed the creation and use of fake Microsoft pop-up call links and fraudulent payments made by misusing foreign customers' credit cards for non-existent services. The websites of these companies advertised services like mobile device management, network and device support, and Device as a Service (DaaS), yet lacked promoter details. 'Office images posted online portrayed facilities akin to major IT parks, 'a far cry from reality',' the ED said.
