Prateek Yadav, the step-brother of Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and husband of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Aparna Yadav, passed away under mysterious circumstances in Lucknow on Wednesday morning. He was 38 years old.
According to hospital officials, Prateek was brought to the Civil Hospital in Lucknow at around 6 am by Aparna Yadav's brother, Aman Singh Bisht. Doctors declared him dead on arrival. Civil Hospital CMS Dr D.C. Pandey stated that when Prateek arrived, his pulse had completely dropped and his heart had ceased functioning. The exact cause of death remains unknown.
His body has been sent to King George's Medical University (KGMU) for a postmortem examination. Officials confirmed that an X-ray of the chest was conducted before the autopsy. A medical team led by Dr Mausami Singh is performing the postmortem. Heavy police deployment was observed outside the postmortem house, with Aman Singh Bisht present at the scene.
Previous Health Issues
Sources revealed that Prateek had been admitted to a private hospital in Lucknow on April 30 after his health deteriorated. After showing signs of recovery three days later, he reportedly returned home without being formally discharged. At the time of the incident, Aparna Yadav was in Assam and immediately left for Lucknow upon receiving news of her husband's death.
Background and Family
Prateek Yadav was the son of late Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and his second wife, Sadhna Gupta. Despite belonging to one of Uttar Pradesh's most influential political families, Prateek largely stayed away from active politics. He was educated at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom and was involved in the fitness and real estate businesses. He owned a gym in Lucknow named "The Fitness Planet" and ran an animal welfare organization called "Jeev Ashray," which focused on rescuing, treating, feeding, and caring for stray dogs.
Prateek and Aparna Yadav married in December 2011 in Saifai, Etawah, in a high-profile ceremony attended by several prominent personalities, including Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan. The couple had known each other since 2001 after meeting at a birthday party and later stayed in touch through emails. They have two daughters.
Recent Public Dispute
Earlier this year, the couple briefly made headlines after Prateek publicly announced plans to seek divorce from Aparna Yadav on January 19, citing personal differences. However, the dispute was resolved within nine days. In February, Prateek shared a social media post with Aparna stating, "All is Good," and the couple was later seen celebrating their daughter's birthday together in the presence of several BJP leaders.
Condolences and Investigation
Condolences poured in from political circles following the news of Prateek's death. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the demise, while the Samajwadi Party also mourned his passing. Police and medical authorities stated that further details regarding the cause of death will be clear after the postmortem report is received.
