Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash on Wednesday, India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has confirmed.
The aircraft, which had taken off from Mumbai, crash-landed at Baramati airport, Pawar’s constituency. Two members of his staff and two crew members on board the plane were also killed in the accident.
The exact cause of the crash has not yet been officially determined. According to online flight-tracking service FlightRadar, the aircraft was attempting a second approach to Baramati Airport when it went down. The Times of India quoted aviation officials as saying the Learjet 45, operated by VSR, crashed at around 8:45 am local time.
Reports said Pawar, the nephew of veteran politician and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar, was travelling to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad elections. A witness quoted by the newspaper said the aircraft exploded moments after hitting the ground. “When we reached the spot, the plane was engulfed in flames. There were four to five more explosions. People tried to rescue the passengers, but the fire was too intense,” the witness said.
Sixty-six-year-old Ajit Pawar built his political career through the grassroots cooperative movement and was a dominant figure in Maharashtra politics. Serving as the state’s deputy chief minister in the coalition government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he was regarded as one of the most influential leaders in the state. He wielded significant influence in Maharashtra’s sugar belt and was known for his ability to mobilise rural voters.
Pawar’s death has triggered an outpouring of grief across the state. Large crowds gathered outside the Baramati hospital where his body was taken. The Maharashtra government has announced three days of state mourning, during which flags will be flown at half-mast, government offices and schools will remain closed, and all public events will be cancelled.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he was “at a loss for words” after the tragedy, describing Pawar as a “strong and generous friend” in a social media post. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his condolences, calling Pawar’s “untimely demise” shocking and deeply saddening. He said Pawar was widely respected as a hardworking leader whose commitment to empowering the poor and the underprivileged would be remembered.