Mumbai:
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a tragic plane crash on Wednesday morning when the chartered aircraft he was travelling in crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport. Pawar was 66. The accident claimed the lives of five people, including Pawar, his security personnel, two pilots and a female crew member. Soon after the crash, the aircraft caught fire and was completely gutted within minutes.
According to available information, Ajit Pawar was on his way to Baramati to address a public meeting in connection with the Maharashtra panchayat elections. The chartered plane took off from Mumbai at around 8.10 am and reached Baramati at approximately 8.45 am, when the pilot attempted to land the aircraft. Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the pilot initially tried to land at Baramati airport, but the runway was not clearly visible, following which the aircraft was taken back up.
After the first failed attempt, the pilot made a second attempt to land on Runway-11 at Baramati airport. During this attempt, the aircraft crashed before reaching the runway and immediately burst into flames. Officials said no emergency signal was sent by the pilot before the crash, and no ‘Mayday’ call was issued, which could have alerted authorities to the developing situation.
Rescue teams rushed to the spot soon after the accident, but the intensity of the fire left no scope for saving those on board. Within a short span of time, the aircraft was completely destroyed. Debris was scattered across the crash site, and even after the flames were brought under control, charred remains of the aircraft were visible. The bodies of the deceased were retrieved with difficulty and later sent to Baramati district hospital in ambulances.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reached Baramati soon after the incident. Expressing deep grief over the loss, he announced three days of state mourning across Maharashtra. He also declared a holiday for all schools in the state on Wednesday. Ajit Pawar’s last rites will be performed in Baramati on Thursday at 11 am. Following the news of the tragedy, Pawar’s family members and close associates arrived in Baramati. His uncle Sharad Pawar, wife Sunetra Pawar, their two sons and sister Supriya Sule were present to pay their last respects.
Meanwhile, a formal investigation into the plane crash has been initiated. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has begun probing the incident. One team of the investigating agency has reached Delhi to examine records at the office of the aircraft’s operator company, VSR Ventures, while another team has proceeded to Baramati to inspect the crash site. Investigators are examining the wreckage, along with flight data and other technical aspects, to determine the exact cause of the accident.
VSR Ventures, the operator of the chartered aircraft, issued a statement saying the plane was technically fit and had no known faults prior to the flight. The company stated that the main pilot had around 16,000 hours of flying experience, while the co-pilot had logged approximately 1,500 hours. Despite the experience of the crew and the company’s claim of no technical malfunction, the circumstances leading to the crash remain under investigation.
Ajit Pawar was a prominent figure in Maharashtra politics and one of the senior leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party. He was serving as Deputy Chief Minister in the BJP–Shiv Sena alliance government. The party had a total of 41 legislators, including Pawar, with seven cabinet ministers and one minister of state. His sudden death has sent shockwaves through the political landscape of Maharashtra, leaving leaders across party lines in mourning.
Leaders from various political parties, social organisations and members of the public have expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy. Condolence messages have poured in from across the state and the country, reflecting the scale of the loss. The incident is being described as a major blow not only to Maharashtra but to national politics as well.
