Asian Para Games gold medallist Neeraj Yadav dies by suicide at 42

Neeraj Yadav, a three-time Para Asian Games champion, passed away under tragic circumstances at the age of 42. Neeraj was found dead near his SUV at Maujpur metro station on Tuesday night (Oct 27). The Delhi Police stated that prima facie, he consumed poison.

Meanwhile, Neeraj didn’t qualify for the recently concluded Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya as he was undergoing a doping-related ban.

Detailing the sequence of events, police revealed that Yadav travelled to Sonipat with a female friend, who had informed him earlier that she could no longer remain in touch. Yadav subsequently drove her back to Maujpur in his SUV.

“On Tuesday, she went to Sonipat to meet him and explain that she could not further be in touch with him. Thereafter, Neeraj Yadav dropped her at Maujpur, Delhi, in his Scorpio-N car. At around 09:00 PM, she became worried after he didn’t respond to calls. She then reached near Gate No.1 of Maujpur metro station, where she found Neeraj 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 Delhi police officer said.

Around midnight, the Jafrabad police station received a call from Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, stating that the man had been brought dead.

“The deceased was recognised as Neeraj Yadav, who is married and is survived by his wife and their three-year-old daughter. Proceedings under Section 194 of the BNSS are being undertaken by PS Jafrabad,” said the police.

Police revealed that Yadav lived in Sonipat, where he ran an online sports academy in the name of Anshneer Sports Academy. In this period of grief, Paralympic champion Sumit Antil and javelin thrower Vipin Kassana were with Yadav’s family upon receiving the information.

“I am at a loss for words now. I am completely shocked. I have no words to express my emotions,” Antil said in a chat with The Indian Express.

Meanwhile, at the 2018 Para Asian Games, Yadav had won the F55 men’s javelin throw gold and the discus throw (F55 category) at the previous Games in Hangzhou in 2023.

In the same year, Yadav was provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) after he tested positive for Stanozolol, an anabolic steroid banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

National Para Athletics chief coach S Satyanarayan said, “Paralympics Committee of India officials are helping his family at this tough hour. Neeraj Yadav’s doping suspension would have ended in early 2027. It’s a loss for the para-athletics community in India.”