Wrestler Ritika Phogat was found dead in her uncle Mahavir Singh Phogat’s house, police said on Thursday. She died by suicide, according to posts shared by her cousins Geeta and Babita Phogat. She was 17.
A native of Rajasthan’s Jaipur village, Ritika was staying with Mahavir Singh Phogat, her uncle and Dronacharya award-winning coach, in Charkhi Dadri’s Balali village under Jhojhu Kalan police station for the past four years, Station House Officer Dilbagh Singh was quoted as saying by PTI.
Ritika was training at the Mahavir Phogat Sports Academy in Charkhi Dadri.
Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri District Superintendent of Police Ram Singh Bishnoi said police have started their investigation into her death, according to India Today.
Wrestling star Geeta Phogat described Ritika, her maternal sister, as a talented wrestler.
“It’s a very sad moment for my family. Ritika was a talented wrestler and I don’t know why she took such a step. Victory and defeat are a part of an athlete’s life. We should never take such a step,” she said in a tweet in Hindi.
Her sister Babita said that suicide is not a solution and that victories and defeats are a part of life.
भगवान मेरी छोटी बहन मेरे मामा की लड़की रितिका की आत्मा को शांति दे। मेरे परिवार के लिए बहुत ही दुख की घड़ी है। रितिका बहुत ही होनहार पहलवान थी पता नहीं क्यों उसने ऐसा कदम उठाया। हार-जीत खिलाड़ी के जीवन का हिस्सा होता है हमें ऐसा कोई क़दम नहीं उठाना चाहिये 🙏😢 pic.twitter.com/RQFhM1jVpi
— geeta phogat (@geeta_phogat) March 18, 2021
भगवान रितिका की आत्मा को शांति दे। यह समय पूरे परिवार के लिए बहुत ही दुख की घड़ी है। आत्महत्या कोई समाधान नहीं है। हार और जीत दोनों जीवन के महत्वपूर्ण पहलू हैं। हारने वाला एक दिन जीतता भी जरूर है। संघर्ष ही सफलता की कुंजी है संघर्षों से घबराकर ऐसा कोई कदम नहीं उठाना चाहिए। pic.twitter.com/ecb4DztyC4
— Babita Phogat (@BabitaPhogat) March 18, 2021
Former Union minister Vijay Kumar Singh also took to Twitter to condole Ritika’s death.
Terrible news that we lost #RitikaPhogat who had a brilliant career ahead. The world has changed from where it was some decades ago. Athletes are facing pressures which were not there earlier. An essential part of their training should be to deal with these pressures.
— Vijay Kumar Singh (@Gen_VKSingh) March 18, 2021