Prateek Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav's stepson, dies at 38

PRateek Yadav, stepson of Samajwadi company paterfamilias Mulayam Singh Yadav, the half-brother of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and married man of BJP leader Aparna Yadav, died at the eld of 38 in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow on Wednesday morning.Civil Hospital director Dr GP Gupta confirmed Prateek's death and said information was received at around 5am that he was unwell, following which a team of doctors rushed to his residence.“When the doctors reached there, his condition appeared critical. He was brought to the hospital, and despite all efforts by the medical team, he was declared dead at 5.55 am,” Dr Gupta said.Gupta said the exact cause of death would only be clear after a postmortem examination.Prateek was brought to the Civil Hospital around 5:30am, according to hospital sources. His sudden demise has sent shockwaves through political and social circles in Uttar Pradesh.Political leaders, business associates and supporters expressed condolences to the Yadav family following the news of his death.Who was Prateek Yadav?Prateek Yadav was the son of late Mulayam Singh Yadav's second wife Sadhna Gupta. Despite coming from one of the country’s most influential political families, he largely stayed away from active politics and focused on business ventures.He had studied at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom and was associated with the real estate and fitness sectors.Prateek owned a gym in Lucknow under the name “Iron Core Fit” and was known in local business circles for his interest in fitness entrepreneurship.He was also actively involved in animal welfare and ran an organisation named “Jeev Ashray”, which worked for the rescue, treatment, feeding and care of stray dogs.Prateek married Aparna Bisht (now known as Aparna Yadav) in 2011, and the couple has a daughter together.Prateek's ‘divorce row’ with Aparna YadavEarlier this year, Prateek Yadav made headlines when he sought a divorce from his wife, Aparna Yadav, calling her a "selfish woman".Prateek said he was going to divorce Aparna as soon as possible. In two posts on his Instagram handle, iamprateekyadav, he alleged that his wife was a "family destroyer", accusing her of being self-centred and driven by fame.“I am going to divorce this selfish woman as soon as possible. She ruined my family ties… All she wants to become is famous and influential,” Prateek wrote in one of his Instagram posts.Prateek even said that the situation with Aparna had also taken a toll on his mental health.In a separate post, he alleged that Aparna "broke" his relationship with his mother, father, and his brother. "Biggest liar that I have seen in my life (i swear to my child). Biggest self interested person I have ever seen," the post further stated.