'Can't Be In Touch..': Para-Athlete Neeraj Yadav Allegedly Consumed Poison After Last Meeting With Female Friend

Para Athlete Neeraj Yadav allegedly committed suicide by drinking poison. Yadav, 42, has represented India at the Asian Games previously and had won three gold medals. However, he was suspended for doping after Asian Games 2023 and was under 'emotional stress' as per reports.

Love angle emerges in Neeraj Yadav suicide

As per PTI, police have launched a probe into the case. Yadav was taken to the hospital by a female 'friend' after he had allegedly consumed. She had met Neeraj in Sonipat on Tuesday to inform that 'she could not longer be in touch with him'.

"Yadav dropped her at Maujpur, Delhi, in his Scorpio. At around 9 pm, the woman became suspicious and reached near Gate No. 1 of Maujpur Metro Station, where she found Yadav lying on the road beside his car. She subsequently took him to the hospital for medical assistance, where he was declared brought dead," a senior police offer told PTI.

Yadav was married and is survived by his wife and their three-year-old daughter. Diagnosed with polio at seven, Yadav transitioned from wheelchair tennis to athletics in 2015. He won three Asian Para Games gold medals, including an Asian-record javelin throw of 29.84 metres in 2018.

At present, he was serving a four-year suspension after testing positive for a banned substance. The sanction cost him both gold medals won in Hangzhou, along with the associated government cash reward and prospects of a government job.

Get her investigated, he can never commit suicide

Neeraj Yadav's uncle Virender Yadav has refused to accept that the para-athlete would commit suicide. While he claimed that Neeraj struggled after his doping case, he continued to fight for his career. When questioned about the alleged love angle, he said he knew nothing and wanted the 'female' investigated.

Coach reveals strained relationship with wife

S Satyanarayana, head coach of the Indian para-athletics team, said he was in constant touch with Yadav following his doping suspension. He further revealed that Neeraj had a strained relationship with his wife and was being looked after by his mother.

"I can't speculate on the exact reason, but he was depressed on a number of counts. One was the shock of losing the two gold medals, the second was the cash award he would have received, and the third was his job prospects...his mother was taking care of him as he had a strained relationship with his wife," Satyanarayana told PTI.

"He definitely took poison. But the exact substance he took will only be known after the postmortem examination. But 100 per cent, he took poison... the colour of the body had also changed somewhat," he added.