Lucknow, May 13 — In deeply saddening news coming out of Uttar Pradesh, Prateek Yadav, son of the late Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, passed away at the age of 38. He breathed his last at Lucknow's Civil Hospital, and the news has sent shockwaves across political and social circles in the state.Prateek was the younger brother of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and the husband of BJP leader Aparna Yadav.A Man Who Deliberately Stayed Away From PoliticsIn a family that has been at the heart of Uttar Pradesh politics for decades, Prateek Yadav stood out for a very different reason — he wanted nothing to do with politics.He was the son of Mulayam Singh Yadav and his second wife Sadhna Gupta. Educated at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom, Prateek built his own path in the business world. He was involved in real estate and fitness, and was the owner of a gym called 'The Fitness Planet' in Lucknow.In an interview back in 2017, Prateek had been candid about his choices. He said he wanted to stay as far from politics as possible for as long as he could, and that his focus was entirely on building his business. While voices within party circles occasionally floated his name as a potential candidate for elections, Prateek never took the bait. He never contested an election and never held a formal position in any political party.His wife Aparna Yadav, in sharp contrast, has been actively involved in politics — currently serving as Vice Chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh State Women's Commission and having joined the BJP in 2022.The Circumstances of His DeathAccording to reports, Prateek Yadav was found at home before being taken to Civil Hospital. A doctor speaking to Zee News confirmed that when the Civil Hospital team arrived at his residence at around 4:45 PM, Prateek had already passed away. He was found in the kitchen of his home. Around 20 individuals brought him to the hospital after his death.Reports also mention that there were injury marks found on his body. His wife Aparna Yadav was in Delhi at the time of his passing.As news of the death broke, politicians and acquaintances began arriving at the Civil Hospital in Lucknow to pay their respects.Condolences Pour In From Across the Political SpectrumThe Samajwadi Party expressed its grief through an official post on their social media handle, offering condolences and praying for peace for the departed soul.Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also shared his condolences, describing the sudden passing as deeply heartbreaking. He referred to Prateek as the son of the late Padma Vibhushan Mulayam Singh Yadav, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and offered his prayers for the family. CM Yogi extended his sympathies to the bereaved family and prayed for strength to bear the immense grief, closing with Om Shanti.A Life Lived Quietly, Away From the SpotlightWhat makes Prateek Yadav's story stand out is precisely how ordinary — in the best possible sense — he chose to make his life despite his extraordinary family background. He could have leveraged his last name for political power at any point. He never did.At just 38, his passing leaves behind a family already in grief, a wife who loved him, and a city that woke up this morning to news it wasn't prepared for.
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