Who was Neeraj Yadav, the three-time Asian Para Games gold medallist found dead in Delhi?

New Delhi: Neeraj Yadav was an Indian para-athlete who won three gold medals at the Asian Para Games, establishing himself as an international-level competitor in para-athletics. Competing in the F55 category, he won the men's javelin throw title at the 2018 Asian Para Games in Jakarta before securing gold in both javelin and discus at the 2023 edition in Hangzhou, China.

Diagnosed with post-polio residual paralysis at the age of seven, Yadav initially took up wheelchair tennis before switching to para-athletics. He went on to build a career in field events, specialising in javelin and discus throw. His performances at the Asian Para Games brought him recognition and the prospect of significant financial rewards and a government job.

Doping case

However, his sporting career was later derailed by a doping case. After testing positive for a banned substance, Yadav was handed a four-year suspension. The Asian Paralympic Committee subsequently stripped him of the two gold medals he had won at the 2023 Hangzhou Games, along with the associated cash award.

S Satyanarayana, head coach of the Indian para-athletics team, said the suspension had affected Yadav's career and employment prospects. According to the coach, Yadav had been in line for a Class I government job in Uttar Pradesh and a cash reward of more than Rs 3 crore following his success at Hangzhou. His peers had secured government jobs, Satyanarayana said.

The suspension also prevented Yadav from participating in the selection trials for the 2026 Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. According to Satyanarayana, Yadav had contacted him a couple of months ago to ask whether he could compete in the trials, but was told that he still had months left to serve under the ban.

Yadav was also running an online sports academy in Sonipat, Haryana, under the name Anshneer Sports Academy. He was married and is survived by his wife and three-year-old daughter.

Death and police inquiry

Yadav died on Tuesday after reportedly consuming poison at his residence. His body was taken to Delhi's GTB Hospital for a postmortem examination on Wednesday. The circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation.

According to police, a woman who had been in contact with Yadav since December 2025 had travelled to Sonipat to meet him on Tuesday. She reportedly told him that she could no longer remain in contact with him. 

Proceedings under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita are being undertaken by Jafrabad police. The exact circumstances of his death have not yet been established.

Satyanarayana said he had remained in touch with Yadav after the doping case came to light. The coach said Yadav had been under stress over the loss of his medals, the associated financial reward and his employment prospects, but added that he could not speculate on the exact circumstances that led to his death.

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