Mystery shrouds Prateek Yadav’s death in Lucknow: What we know so far

Prateek Yadav, 38, stepbrother of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and husband of BJP leader Aparna Yadav, died on Wednesday morning under mysterious circumstances. He was brought to Civil Hospital in an unresponsive state around 6 am, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. The exact cause of death is yet to be determined, with postmortem examination underway at King George’s Medical University (KGMU).

Hospital officials said Prateek was brought in by Aparna Yadav’s brother Aman Singh Bisht. On arrival at Civil Hospital, his pulse was absent and heart activity had stopped. Doctors immediately declared him dead on arrival, ruling out revival chances.

Prateek had been admitted to a private Lucknow hospital on April 30 after his health deteriorated. Though he reportedly showed signs of recovery within days, he left without formal discharge, raising questions over his medical condition.

The body has been shifted to King George’s Medical University (KGMU) for postmortem. An X-ray was conducted before autopsy, and a medical team led by Dr Mausami Singh is handling the process. The exact cause of death remains unconfirmed.

Prateek married BJP leader Aparna Yadav in 2011 after a long relationship. The couple has two daughters. They briefly made headlines earlier this year over a divorce announcement, later reconciled, and were seen together at family events.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav reportedly noted that Prateek Yadav had been under significant financial stress due to business losses. Known for his fitness ventures and real estate interests, Prateek had reportedly faced setbacks in his business activities, including challenges related to his gym operations.

Prateek Yadav was the son of Sadhana Gupta and stepson of late Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav. Despite belonging to one of UP’s most powerful political families, he largely stayed away from active politics.

Educated at the University of Leeds, UK, Prateek focused on business ventures rather than politics. He owned “The Fitness Planet,” a popular gym in Lucknow, and was actively involved in fitness and real estate-related enterprises.

Condolences poured in from political leaders across parties. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief, while the Samajwadi Party also mourned his death. Heavy police deployment was seen outside the postmortem facility.