Postmortem reveals pulmonary thromboembolism as cause of Prateek Yadav's death; leaders express grief

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 13 (ANI): Prateek Yadav, son of Samajwadi Party (SP) founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and husband of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Aparna Yadav, passed away earlier this morning at a civil hospital in Lucknow.
His step-brother and former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav described the loss as deeply painful.
According to doctors, Yadav was brought to the hospital by family members earlier in the day, after which he was declared dead.

As per the postmortem conducted at King George's Medical University (KGMU), the cause of death has been attributed to cardiorespiratory collapse resulting from massive pulmonary thromboembolism.
According to the report, six "antemortem" injuries were found on his body, indicating that they were sustained before death.
"However, whole heart & pulmonary thromboembolic material preserved in Formalin for histopathological examination and viscera preserved for chemical analysis handed over to the CP concerned," the KGMU report said.
Earlier in the day, Dr Ruchita Sharma, Associate Director, Department of Medicine, Medanta Hospital, Lucknow, expressed grief over the demise of Prateek Yadav, and said he had been undergoing treatment for multiple health conditions, including hypertension and pulmonary embolism.
"We received news regarding the passing away of Prateek Yadav, and we are deeply saddened by this loss. He was a long-standing patient of ours; I had been treating him for quite some time for conditions such as high blood pressure and hypertension," she said.
Dr Sharma said Yadav had recently been admitted after developing pulmonary embolism, a serious condition caused by blockage in the arteries of the lungs.
"Just a few days ago, he was admitted here after developing a pulmonary embolism -- a condition in which a blood clot travels into and lodges within the arteries. Due to the blockage in his lungs, his heart function was adversely affected," she said.
She added that he had approached the hospital with complaints of breathlessness and respiratory issues, following which he was diagnosed.
"He had presented here a few days prior, complaining of shortness of breath and related respiratory issues, at which point he was diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism. The condition of pulmonary embolism is, by its very nature, inherently critical and carries significant risk. He was already on blood thinners; he was fully aware of his medical issues and took his blood pressure medication regularly," she added.
The sudden death of SP president Akhilesh Yadav's younger brother has sent shockwaves through the political circles.
Expressing grief, Akhilesh Yadav said he had known his stepbrother since childhood and described the loss as deeply painful.
Speaking with reporters outside Lucknow Civil Hospital, where the mortal remains of his Prateek Yadav are kept in a mortuary, Akhilesh Yadav said, "I have known him since childhood. He is no longer amongst us; it is a matter of great sorrow. Right from his childhood, he was very conscious of his health, his physical well-being, and he aspired to move forward in life and make a meaningful contribution."
Akhilesh Yadav said that he had met his stepbrother two months ago and advised him to take care of his health and to focus on expanding his business.
"We will proceed in accordance with the law, whatever legal provisions dictate, and whatever the family members request, we will abide by that. I met him approximately two months ago. Even at that time, I had advised him to take care of his health and to focus on expanding his business. Sometimes losses incurred in business can cause people to become deeply distressed. He is no longer with us; we will pursue whatever legal avenues are available to us," he said.
SP MP Dimple Yadav also visited the residence and offered condolences to the grieving family.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the residence of Aparna Yadav to pay his last respects to Prateek Yadav.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said the incident was deeply tragic, especially considering his young age, and extended condolences to the family.
"It is tragic; whenever such an unfortunate event occurs at such a young age, it is truly heart-wrenching. Our deepest condolences go out to the family and supporters, and we pray to God to grant them the strength to bear this immense grief. Indeed, this incident is profoundly sorrowful," he told reporters.
UP Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna also expressed sorrow, calling it a huge loss and praying for strength for the family.
"It is very saddening... I pray to God to give his family the strength to bear this sorrow... It is a huge loss," he told ANI.
Union Minister and Uttar Pradesh BJP president Pankaj Chaudhary said he was deeply saddened by the untimely demise and extended condolences.
"I am deeply saddened that such a young comrade has left us. I offer my condolences to the family," he added.
However, a friend of Prateek Yadav said he was not suffering from any serious illness and used to regularly go to the gym with him.
"He had no serious illness. I am his friend, and we used to go to the gym together," he told ANI.
Prateek was the son of Sadhna Gupta, the second wife of Mulayam Singh Yadav. Despite being from Uttar Pradesh's most prominent political family, he largely stayed away from politics and focused on business and fitness ventures in Lucknow.
Prateek Yadav married Aparna Yadav in 2011. She has remained politically active over the years. She contested the 2017 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections from Lucknow Cantt on a Samajwadi Party ticket but lost to Rita Bahuguna Joshi.
She later joined the BJP in 2022 and was appointed vice-chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh State Women's Commission in 2024. (ANI)