Maharashtra was shaken on Wednseday by the death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash near Baramati, adding his name to a worrying list of state leaders linked to air and helicopter accidents in recent years.
Pawar was travelling in a chartered Learjet 45 when the aircraft crashed while attempting to land near the Baramati airstrip. All those on board were killed. A multi-agency probe has been ordered to determine the cause of the accident.
The tragedy has revived memories of an earlier scare involving the state’s top leadership. On May 25, 2017, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis survived a helicopter crash landing near Latur. The state-owned Sikorsky helicopter had just taken off from a helipad at Nilanga when strong winds forced the pilot to attempt an emergency landing. The chopper struck overhead wires and crashed, badly damaging the aircraft. Fadnavis and five others escaped without injury.
Only days earlier, on May 22, 2017, another helicopter used by the chief minister developed a technical problem in Maoist affected Gadchiroli, forcing him to abandon the flight and travel by road.
Safety concerns resurfaced on October 2, 2024, after a helicopter meant to ferry NCP Rajya Sabha MP Sunil Tatkare crashed soon after take off near Pune. The chopper, which had carried Tatkare the previous day, was returning to pick him up when it went down, killing two pilots and a maintenance engineer. Tatkare was not on board at the time and escaped unharmed.
In another incident on May 4, 2024, a Bell 407 helicopter that had arrived in Mahad in Raigad district to pick up Shiv Sena UBT leader Sushma Andhare crashed while landing at a temporary helipad. The helicopter toppled onto its side, injuring the pilot and damaging the rotors. Andhare, who was in Mahad to campaign for party candidate and former Union minister Anant Geete, had not boarded the aircraft and was safe.
A further scare was reported on January 2, 2025, when a helicopter scheduled to fly NCP Sharad Pawar faction chief Sharad Pawar and state party president Jayant Patil failed twice to take off from a temporary helipad in Chiplun in the Konkan region. The helicopter was forced to land immediately on both attempts. No one was injured.
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Media reports said the helicopter may have been overloaded after additional security personnel boarded following Pawar’s programme. The pilot managed to land the aircraft safely, and Pawar and Patil later continued their journey by other means.
While most of the incidents in Maharashtra did not claim lives, they have brought into focus on the safety of chartered aircraft used by political leaders.
Zeeshan Shaikh is the Associate Editor who heads The Indian Express' Mumbai reporting team. He is recognized for his highly specialized Expertise in analyzing the complex dynamics of Maharashtra politics and critical minority issues, providing in-depth, nuanced, and Trustworthy reports.
Expertise
Senior Editorial Role: As an Associate Editor leading the Mumbai reporting team, Zeeshan Shaikh holds a position of significant Authority and journalistic responsibility at a leading national newspaper.
Core Specialization: His reporting focuses intensely on two interconnected, high-impact areas:
Maharashtra Politics & Urban Power Structures: Provides deep-dive analyses into political strategies, municipal elections (e.g., BMC polls), the history of alliances (e.g., Shiv Sena's shifting partners), and the changing demographics that influence civic power in Mumbai.
Minority Issues and Socio-Political Trends: Excels in coverage of the Muslim community's representation in power, demographic shifts, socio-economic challenges, and the historical context of sensitive political and cultural issues (e.g., the 'Vande Mataram' debate's roots in the BMC).
Investigative Depth: His articles frequently delve into the historical roots and contemporary consequences of major events, ranging from the rise of extremist groups in specific villages (e.g., Borivali-Padgha) to the long-term collapse of established political parties (e.g., Congress in Mumbai).
Trustworthiness & Credibility
Data-Driven Analysis: Zeeshan's work often incorporates empirical data, such as National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) statistics on arrests and convictions of minorities, or data on asset growth of politicians, grounding his reports in factual evidence.
Focus on Hinterland Issues: While based in Mumbai, he maintains a wide lens, covering issues affecting the state's hinterlands, including water crises, infrastructure delays, and the plight of marginalized communities (e.g., manual scavengers).
Institutional Affiliation: His senior position at The Indian Express—a publication known for its tradition of rigorous political and investigative journalism—underscores the high level of editorial vetting and Trustworthiness of his reports.
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