Ajit Pawar dies in plane crash near Baramati, five killed
Baramati (Maharashtra), January 28: Ajit Pawar, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief and Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, died in a tragic plane crash…
Baramati (Maharashtra), January 28: Ajit Pawar, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief and Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, died in a tragic plane crash on Wednesday morning near Baramati. Four others, including the pilots and Pawar’s security personnel, also lost their lives in the accident.
The small aircraft was flying from Mumbai to Baramati and took off at around 8.10 am. It crashed near Baramati airport about half an hour later while attempting to land. According to reports, the aircraft was making a second landing attempt when the crash occurred.
Pawar was scheduled to attend four important public meetings ahead of the local body elections next month.
DGCA Confirms All On Board Dead
Visuals from the crash site showed fire and thick smoke, the mangled remains of the aircraft, and ambulances at the spot. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that all five people on board the aircraft died in the crash.
Superintendent of Police Sandip Singh Gill said a fire broke out immediately after the crash. “People on board were taken to the hospital, but they could not be saved,” he said.
Aircraft Details and Flight Tracking
The flight was operated by a company named VSR, and the aircraft was a Learjet 45. An aircraft of the same model had crashed in Mumbai in September 2023. According to flight tracking website Flightradar24, the aircraft disappeared from radar at around 8.45 am.
Ajit Pawar’s Political Career
Ajit Pawar, aged 66, served as Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister under four Chief Ministers—Prithviraj Chavan, Uddhav Thackeray, Eknath Shinde, and Devendra Fadnavis.
In 2023, he led a rebellion within the NCP that split the party into two factions, one led by him and the other by his uncle and party founder Sharad Pawar. He later joined the NDA government. Recently, both factions had come together to contest the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal corporation elections.
Family and Personal Details
Ajit Pawar was the nephew of veteran politician Sharad Pawar and the cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule. Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule, who were in Delhi for Parliament’s budget session, are expected to travel to Pune soon. Pawar is survived by his wife Sunetra and sons Parth and Jay.
Leaders Express Condolences
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Pawar’s death as “shocking and saddening,” praising his grassroots connection and dedication to public service.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he was “deeply pained” by the loss and called it a personal loss. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was “deeply shocked,” while Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge termed the news “deeply distressing” and expressed condolences to the Pawar family.
The NCP leadership, the Pawar family, and the Maharashtra government are yet to issue an official statement on the tragedy.
