Wrestler Ritika Phogat, Geeta Phogat's Cousin, Dies. Cops Suspect Suicide

The police said Ritika Phogat was believed to be upset at narrowly losing a wrestling tournament final.

Ritika Phogat, a cousin of champion wrestlers Geeta and Babita Phogat, died allegedly by suicide on Monday, the Haryana police said today.

The police said Ritika Phogat, 17, was believed to be upset at narrowly losing a wrestling tournament final. She had participated in a state-level competition at Bharatpur between March 12 and 14.

She was found dead at the home of her uncle and legendary wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat late Monday. Ritika had trained with Mahavir Phogat, a Dronacharya award winner who runs a sports academy.

According to the police, she had been depressed about losing the final by one point. Both her father and Mahavir Phogat had been present at the tournament.

"Ritika, wrestler and cousin of Babita Phogat, died allegedly by suicide on March 17. The reason behind it might have been her defeat at a recent wrestling tournament in Rajasthan. Investigations are underway," Ram Singh Bishnoi, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Charkhi Dadri, told news agency ANI.

The teen's cousin Harvindra Phogat said the family is in shock and had never realized how deeply she had been affected by the loss.

Mahavir Phogat's life and the story of how he trained daughters Geeta and Babita inspired the 2016 Aamir Khan blockbuster "Dangal".

Geeta Phogat won India's first ever gold medal in wrestling at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and became the first Indian woman wrestler to qualify for the Olympics in 2012. Her sister Babita won silver at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, a bronze at the 2012 World Wrestling Championships and a gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.