LUCKNOW: Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday expressed deep grief over the death of his younger step brother Prateek Yadav, describing him as a hardworking and health-conscious young man who wanted to progress in life through his own efforts. Speaking to reporters at the post-mortem house in Lucknow, Akhilesh Yadav said, “Prateek Yadav is no longer among us. It is extremely painful. He was young, and since childhood he was very conscious about his health and wanted to move ahead in life.” The SP chief said Prateek was determined to establish himself independently and always believed in hard work. “He was a very good person who wanted to achieve something on his own through dedication and effort. It is very unfortunate that he is no longer with us,” he said. Referring to the legal formalities following the death, Akhilesh said the family would proceed according to the law and a collective family decision. “Whatever the law requires and whatever the family decides, we will follow accordingly,” he said. Akhilesh Yadav also revealed that he had met Prateek around two months ago. “At that time too, I had advised him to take care of his health and focus on expanding his business,” he said. Without elaborating further, he remarked that financial setbacks can sometimes affect individuals deeply. “At times, losses in business can break a person internally,” he said. Concluding his remarks, Akhilesh reiterated that the family would take all further decisions collectively. “He is no longer among us. Whatever the family decides, we will do,” he added.
