Lucknow, May 13 (IANS) Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday expressed grief over the demise of his step-brother Prateek Yadav and prayed that God may grant peace to the departed soul.

Akhilesh Yadav took to social media ‘X’ and said, “The passing of Shri Prateek Yadav Ji is deeply saddening. May God grant peace to the departed soul. Humble tribute.”

Prateek Yadav, the younger son of late Mulayam Singh Yadav and his second wife Sadhana Gupta, passed away in Lucknow on Wednesday morning at the age of 38. The exact cause of death is yet to be officially confirmed, and a post-mortem examination is being conducted.

According to reports, Prateek had been battling lung-related health complications for a considerable period and was undergoing treatment for a blood clot in his lungs.

An MBA graduate from the University of Leeds, Prateek maintained a low political profile despite belonging to one of India’s most prominent political families. Instead, he focused on his ventures in the fitness and real estate sectors. He owned a gym in Lucknow named “The Fitness Planet” and was also associated with social work through an NGO dedicated to helping homeless individuals.

Known for his passion for fitness, Prateek frequently shared workout updates on social media. In 2012, he gained international attention after being featured as the “International Transformation of the Month” on a renowned bodybuilding platform. He had then attributed his remarkable fitness journey to motivational advice from his father years earlier.

Prateek married Aparna Yadav in 2011 after an eight-year relationship. Their wedding drew several well-known personalities from politics, business, and entertainment. The couple later became parents to a daughter.

Earlier this year, Prateek had posted messages on his verified Instagram account expressing personal grievances against Aparna Yadav. However, neither the Samajwadi Party nor the Bharatiya Janata Party publicly commented on the matter at the time.

–IANS

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