My chest feels heavy with grief: Akhilesh

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav described his younger brother Prateek as a hardworking and health-conscious person who always wanted to achieve something on his own through dedication and hard work.

Speaking to reporters at KGMU, where Prateek’s autopsy was conducted, an emotional Akhilesh said the family was devastated by the sudden loss and struggling to come to terms with it.

“I saw him since childhood. Today he is no longer among us. It is an immense sorrow. My chest feels heavy with grief,” Akhilesh said.

The SP chief said Prateek had been deeply conscious about fitness and health from a young age. “Since childhood, he was very particular about his health and fitness. He wanted to move ahead in life and do meaningful work. He was a very good person who wanted to achieve something through his hard work,” he said.

Calling the death extremely painful, Akhilesh added, “It is very tragic that he is no longer with us today.”

Responding to questions regarding the circumstances surrounding Prateek’s death and whether there should be a detailed inquiry, Akhilesh said the family would proceed strictly according to legal provisions and official procedures.

“It is natural for such questions to arise. Whatever the law says and whatever the family decides, we will proceed accordingly and follow the legal process,” he said.

Akhilesh said he had met Prateek sometime ago and had advised him to focus on his health and business. “I may not remember the exact date, but I had met him some time ago, perhaps around two months back or even more recently. I had told him to take care of his health and focus on taking his business forward,” he said.

The SP chief further indicated that business-related setbacks had been affecting Prateek emotionally in recent times. “Some times losses in business make people deeply distressed,” he remarked.