Four others, including pilots and Ajit Pawar’s security personnel, have also died in the crash.
Ajit Pawar, NCP chief and Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister, died in a tragic plane crash this morning while he was flying from Mumbai to Baramati. Four others, including pilots and Pawar’s security personnel, have also died in the crash.
The small aircraft, which took off from Mumbai around 8 am, crashed near Baramati airport during a landing attempt 45 minutes later. According to reports, Pawar was to attend four important public meetings ahead of the local body polls.
Visuals from the spot show fire and smoke, mangled remains of the plane, and ambulances rushing the injured to nearby hospitals. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said all five passengers on board died in the crash.
The 66-year-old was the nephew of veteran politician and NCP founder Sharad Pawar, and the cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule. Sharad Pawar and Sule, who were in Delhi for the Parliament’s budget session, will soon be leaving for Pune.
In 2023, Ajit Pawar led the mutiny in NCP that split the party into two factions: one led by him and the other by his uncle Sharad Pawar. He later joined the NDA government and became Deputy Chief Minister. Lately, however, there were talks of an NCP reunion, and the two factions contested the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation together. The NCP leadership, the Pawar family and the Maharashtra government are yet to speak about the tragedy.
The flight was operated by a company called VSR and was a Learjet 45. An aircraft of the same make had crashed in September 2023 in Mumbai.
“Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti.” – PM Narendra Modi
After Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar and five others were killed in an aircraft crash, Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput says, “I am shocked after hearing about Ajit Pawar’s plane crash. I am still praying to God, as I have not received any information confirming his death. I have been informed that he was taken to Mumbai in an injured condition by a chartered plane. We are all wishing for his well-being. Hearing about the horrific accident that took place in Baramati has left me stunned, and all aspects of this incident should be thoroughly investigated to determine whether this was a conspiracy and how the accident occurred.”
Maharashtra deputy chief minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar and five others on board died after an aircraft carrying them crashed in Baramati town of Pune district on Wednesday morning, news agency PTI reported, quoting an official.
The plane, a Learjet 45 (registration VT-SSK) operated by VSR, crashed while attempting an emergency landing at around 8.45am, according to officials and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Ajit Pawar was on board along with two other personnel — a personal security officer and an attendant — and two crew members, including the pilot-in-command and first officer. As per initial information, no one on board survived the crash.
Sources said Ajit Pawar was scheduled to visit Baramati for an event related to the zilla panchayat elections. He had been in Mumbai on Tuesday, attending a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure chaired by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Visuals from the crash site showed the aircraft’s wreckage engulfed in flames, as local villagers and emergency responders gathered at the spot.
