Prateek Yadav autopsy: Cardiac arrest, pulmonary clot, 6 injury marks found
Synopsis
The autopsy report for Prateek Yadav, younger son of SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, confirms death by massive pulmonary thromboembolism — a blood clot that travelled from the legs to block a lung artery. Six ante-mortem injury marks, ranging from 1 to 7 days old, were also found on his body, though doctors say none are linked to the cause of death.
Key Takeaways
Prateek Yadav , 38 , died on 13 May in Lucknow and was declared dead at 5.55 am at the civil hospital.
Cause of death confirmed as massive pulmonary thromboembolism leading to cardiorespiratory collapse.
Post-mortem found six ante-mortem injury marks on his chest, arms, forearm, elbow, and wrist — all confirmed to have occurred before death.
Injuries ranged from 1 day to 5–7 days old ; doctors said none are connected to the cause of death.
Thromboembolic material and viscera samples have been preserved for histopathological and chemical analysis.
He was the half-brother of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and son of late SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav .
Prateek Yadav, the younger son of late Samajwadi Party (SP) founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, died of sudden cardiac arrest caused by massive pulmonary thromboembolism, according to his post-mortem report released on Wednesday, 13 May. The 38-year-old, a half-brother of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, was declared dead at approximately 5.55 am at a Lucknow civil hospital after being brought in from his residence.
Cause of Death
The autopsy confirmed that Prateek Yadav suffered massive pulmonary thromboembolism — a life-threatening condition in which a blood clot forms in the legs or pelvis and travels upward, eventually blocking an artery in the lungs. This blockage triggered cardiorespiratory collapse, leading to his death.
According to Civil Hospital Director Dr G.P. Gupta, doctors were dispatched to Prateek Yadav's residence after information about his deteriorating health was received at around 5 am. He was transported to the hospital but could not be revived. The cardiac and pulmonary thromboembolic material has been preserved for histopathological examination, and viscera samples have been handed over to the concerned police officer for chemical analysis.
Six Ante-Mortem Injury Marks
The post-mortem report also documented six injury marks on the deceased's body, all confirmed to be ante-mortem — meaning they occurred before death. Doctors clarified that these injuries are not linked to the cause of death.
The injuries, described as severe contusions with underlying blood accumulation (ecchymosis), were located on the right side of the chest, the right arm, the right forearm (two separate injuries), the right elbow, and the left wrist.
The first injury, measuring 14×7 centimetres, was on the front of the chest, with the skin turning reddish-brown at the centre and greenish-yellow at the edges. The second, measuring 19×12 centimetres, was on the posterior of the right arm, and the third, measuring 24×8 centimetres, was on the right forearm. A fourth injury measuring 6×4 centimetres was also found on the right forearm, with the fifth on the right elbow and the sixth on the left wrist.
According to the report, the first, second, and third injuries were approximately 5 to 7 days old at the time of death, while the fourth, fifth, and sixth were estimated to be about one day old. The presence of blood accumulation beneath each injury site corroborated these findings.
Background and Family
Prateek Yadav was the son of the late Mulayam Singh Yadav — the SP patriarch and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh — from his second wife. He had been dealing with a prolonged illness prior to his death. His passing comes as the Yadav family continues to carry a significant political legacy in Uttar Pradesh, with Akhilesh Yadav leading the SP as its national president.
What Happens Next
The preserved samples — both the thromboembolic material and viscera — are expected to undergo further laboratory examination. The findings of the histopathological and chemical analyses will be submitted to the police as part of standard post-mortem procedure. No foul play has been indicated by medical authorities at this stage, and the cause of death has been attributed entirely to the cardiac and pulmonary condition.
Point of View
Documented cause of death — pulmonary thromboembolism — and six ante-mortem injuries whose origins the report does not explain. Doctors have been careful to separate the two, but the absence of context around how those injuries occurred, particularly the ones estimated to be just one day old, leaves questions that the chemical and histopathological analyses may or may not answer. In high-profile political family deaths, procedural transparency in the post-mortem process matters as much as the findings themselves. Whether the preserved samples will be examined independently or only by state-appointed labs is a detail worth watching.
NationPress
28 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the cause of Prateek Yadav's death?
Prateek Yadav died of massive pulmonary thromboembolism, a condition where a blood clot travels from the legs or pelvis to block an artery in the lungs, causing cardiorespiratory collapse. The post-mortem report confirmed this as the cause of death.
Who was Prateek Yadav?
Prateek Yadav, 38, was the younger son of late Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and a half-brother of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav. He had been suffering from a prolonged illness before his death in Lucknow on 13 May.
What were the six injury marks found on Prateek Yadav's body?
The post-mortem found six contusions with underlying blood accumulation on his right chest, right arm, right forearm (two injuries), right elbow, and left wrist. All six were confirmed to be ante-mortem — occurring before death — and doctors stated they were not linked to the cause of death.
How old were the injuries found on Prateek Yadav?
The first three injuries were estimated to be approximately 5 to 7 days old, while the remaining three were about one day old at the time of death, according to the post-mortem report.
What further tests are being conducted?
The thromboembolic material from the cardiac and pulmonary regions has been preserved for histopathological examination, and viscera samples have been handed over to the concerned police officer for chemical analysis, as part of standard post-mortem procedure.
