Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others were killed on Wednesday morning when the aircraft carrying them crashed while landing near Baramati in Pune district, officials confirmed. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said the Learjet 45XR aircraft was attempting to land at Baramati airport when it lost control and crash-landed around 8:45 am, bursting into flames, with no survivors among the five people on board.
The chartered flight had departed from Mumbai and was en route to Baramati, where Pawar, a veteran politician and leader of the Nationalist Congress Party, was scheduled to attend campaign events ahead of upcoming local elections.
Among those killed were Pawar, two crew members and two aides, including his personal security officer and an attendant. Videos and images from the scene showed the aircraft wreckage engulfed in flames and scattered debris at the crash site, with emergency teams responding promptly.
Pawar, 66, had served multiple terms as Deputy Chief Minister and was a key figure in Maharashtra politics. Union and state leaders, including Narendra Modi and Amit Shah, were informed and expressed condolences to the bereaved family.
The tragic crash has sent shockwaves across the state, with senior leaders and the public alike mourning the loss of a prominent political leader. An investigation by aviation authorities is underway to determine the exact cause of the accident.
