Three-time Asian Para Games gold medallist Neeraj Yadav allegedly died by suicide on Tuesday night, according to Satyanarayana, chief head coach of the Indian para athletics team.
According to media reports, the F55 category para-athlete is suspected to have consumed poison. Further details surrounding his death were not immediately available.
Neeraj made his mark on the international stage with his performances in javelin throw and discus at the Asian Para Games. He won javelin gold at the 2018 edition before successfully defending his title at Hangzhou in 2023. He also won gold in discus at the 2023 Games.
However, the Asian Paralympic Committee subsequently stripped him of the two gold medals he had won at Hangzhou after he tested positive for a banned substance. The development also meant he did not qualify for the government’s cash reward linked to his medal-winning performance.
His reported death has brought renewed attention to the life and career of the para-athlete, whose achievements had once placed him among India’s successful performers at the continental para-sport event.
