Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and five others died when aircraft crashed during landing in Baramati
BARAMATI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died Wednesday morning when his aircraft crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district, aviation authorities confirmed. Five others aboard the chartered flight also perished in the accident.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reported that all six people on the Learjet 45 aircraft—registered as VT-SSK and operated by VSR—lost their lives when the plane went off the runway and caught fire during landing at approximately 8.45am local time.
According to the BBC, citing DGCA officials, Pawar was traveling from Mumbai to his constituency of Baramati for scheduled political engagements. Two staff members—a personal security officer and an attendant—accompanied the 66-year-old politician, along with two crew members comprising the pilot-in-command and first officer.
Video footage from the accident site showed flames and dense smoke rising from scattered wreckage across the crash zone. Emergency response teams arrived on scene shortly after the incident, though officials stated no survivors were found.
The deputy chief minister had attended a Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure meeting in Mumbai on Tuesday, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He was scheduled to participate in multiple meetings Wednesday connected to upcoming local body elections, including Zilla Parishad polls set for February 5 in Pune.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the tragedy on social media platform X, stating his thoughts were with families of those killed. In a separate tribute, Modi described Pawar as having strong grassroots connections and being widely respected for his work serving Maharashtra’s people.
“His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy,” the Prime Minister wrote. “His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening.”
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were among other political leaders who offered condolences.
Reports indicate that Pawar’s family members—including Supriya Sule, Sunetra Pawar, and Parth Pawar—departed from Delhi for Baramati following news of the accident. They had gathered at the residence of veteran politician Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar’s uncle.
Aviation authorities have not yet released information regarding the cause of the crash. The DGCA is expected to conduct a comprehensive investigation into circumstances surrounding the accident during the landing phase.
The incident marks a significant loss for Maharashtra politics, where Pawar served multiple terms as deputy chief minister. He was a prominent figure in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), having led a faction of the party after splitting from his uncle Sharad Pawar’s organization. His faction received official recognition from India’s Election Commission and formed part of Maharashtra’s governing coalition alongside the Bharatiya Janata Party.
