Rupnarayan Sinha, Chairman of the Chhattisgarh Yoga Commission and a senior BJP leader holding cabinet minister rank, died of cardiac arrest on Tuesday. His sudden demise during a party training camp has left the BJP organisation in the state in shock.

Sinha, who was actively participating in the two-day district-level training programme of the BJP in Tifra, Bilaspur, complained of uneasiness on the second day of the event. He was immediately rushed to the state-run SIMS hospital in Bilaspur, where doctors declared him dead upon arrival.

Sudden Health Deterioration at Training Camp

The incident occurred on Tuesday during the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Training Mahabhiyan 2026. Sinha, who was also the in-charge of the training camp, had been present since its inauguration on Monday, May 25. Several senior leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao, MP Rupakumari Chaudhary, and MLA Amar Agrawal, attended the programme.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Sinha’s health deteriorated during the proceedings on the second day. Party workers and officials present at the venue acted swiftly and shifted him to the hospital, but he could not be revived. 

Last Rites Performed in Raipur

The mortal remains of Rupnarayan Sinha were brought to his residence in Kabir Nagar, Raipur, where the last rites were performed on Wednesday. Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai visited the residence to pay his respects and offered floral tributes. Several other leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, Minister Kedar Kashyap, MLA Purandar Mishra, and BJP state president Kiran Singh Dev, also reached the residence to offer condolences. 

A large number of party workers and local residents gathered at the residence, creating an atmosphere of mourning.

Long Association with BJP and Yoga Movement

Rupnarayan Sinha had been associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party for a long time. He held various organisational responsibilities within the party and was known for his active involvement in social service and yoga promotion activities. His appointment as Chairman of the Chhattisgarh Yoga Commission reflected his deep commitment to promoting yoga and wellness in the state. He was conferred the status of a cabinet minister in the Sai government.

Senior BJP leaders described his passing as an irreparable loss. Bilha MLA Dharamlal Kaushik, a prominent party figure, said that Sinha had served the party with dedication in different capacities and played a key role in strengthening the organisation at the grassroots level.

Leaders Express Grief

The news of Sinha’s death spread quickly, prompting an outpouring of condolences from across the political spectrum. Many leaders recalled his simplicity and dedication towards party work and social causes. 

Family members and party colleagues were seen consoling each other at both the hospital in Bilaspur and the residence in Raipur. Photographs from the training camp showing Sinha in apparently good health have been widely circulated on social media, adding to the sense of suddenness surrounding the tragedy.

Impact on Local BJP Unit

The training camp in Tifra was an important organisational exercise for the BJP ahead of future political battles. Sinha’s active role in it underlined his importance within the party structure in Bilaspur district. His untimely death has temporarily disrupted the momentum of the ongoing programme, with many participants expressing deep sorrow.

As news of the cardiac arrest reached senior leadership, several ministers and MLAs made their way to Bilaspur to stand with the family. The swift response from the administration and party workers was visible as the body was transported to Raipur for final rites.

Rupnarayan Sinha’s contribution to the promotion of yoga in Chhattisgarh and his long service to the BJP will be remembered by party workers and yoga enthusiasts across the state. His demise has come as a significant blow to both the party and the yoga movement he championed. 

As the state BJP unit comes to terms with this loss, many are reflecting on the importance of health awareness, especially among senior leaders engaged in demanding political and organisational work. 

Prateek Yadav’s last rites today in Lucknow; postmortem points to cardiac arrest

Late SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav’s younger son Prateek Yadav will be cremated at Baikunth Dham; doctors preserve viscera for further probe.

The final journey of Prateek Yadav, the younger brother of Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, is set to take place at Lucknow’s Baikunth Dham on Thursday afternoon. Prateek, the son of the late Mulayam Singh Yadav and his second wife Sadhana Gupta, passed away on Wednesday morning. He was 38.

The sudden demise has sent shockwaves through Uttar Pradesh’s political circles, drawing leaders across party lines to the Yadav residence to pay their final respects. Prateek, who largely steered clear of the active political life pursued by his brothers and father, was a well-known figure in the real estate and fitness industry in the state capital.

Postmortem reveals cardiac arrest

Medical authorities at King George’s Medical University (KGMU), where the autopsy was conducted, confirmed on Thursday that the primary cause of death was cardiac arrest. However, the report has added layers to the investigation, noting six injury marks on Prateek's body.

According to hospital sources, three of these injuries appeared to be approximately a week old, while the other three were sustained within 24 hours of his passing. Given the high-profile nature of the case, officials have preserved the viscera for further histopathological examination to rule out any underlying complications.

A family in mourning

The atmosphere at the family's Lucknow residence remained somber throughout the night. Prateek’s wife and BJP leader, Aparna Yadav, who was in Assam at the time of the tragedy, rushed back to Lucknow late Wednesday. Witnesses described an emotional scene as she reached the house, breaking down while embracing her two daughters.

Aparna reportedly stayed beside the body throughout the night. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, along with his wife and MP Dimple Yadav, were among the first to reach the civil hospital and later the postmortem house on Wednesday. Akhilesh, who shared a complex but private bond with his younger brother, appeared visibly shaken during the morning's rituals.

Medical history and complications

While the postmortem cited cardiac arrest, doctors who had been monitoring Prateek’s health indicated he had been battling a serious lung condition. Sources at the hospital stated he was suffering from pulmonary embolism—a condition where blood clots block the arteries in the lungs. This condition often leads to sudden respiratory distress and can put immense pressure on the heart, eventually triggering the fatal arrest.

Life away from the spotlight

Born in 1987 to Sadhana Gupta and later legally adopted by Mulayam Singh Yadav, Prateek’s upbringing was distinctly different from the rest of the Saifai clan. An alumnus of the University of Leeds in the UK, he chose to invest his energy into his passion for luxury automobiles and high-end fitness centers rather than the rigors of election campaigning.

Despite his wife Aparna Yadav joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2022, Prateek maintained a neutral public stance, often seen as the bridge between the family’s differing political leanings. His presence was a constant at family gatherings, even as the internal dynamics of the Yadav family shifted over the years.

Preparations for final journey

Security has been tightened around the Vikramaditya Marg area and the route leading to Baikunth Dham. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was among the dignitaries who visited the family to offer condolences, briefly interacting with Aparna Yadav and her children.

The funeral procession is expected to begin shortly, with a large number of Samajwadi Party workers and family well-wishers gathering to bid farewell to the 38-year-old.