Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar dies in Baramati plane crash

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was on board a chartered Learjet 45 aircraft flying from Mumbai to Baramati on Wednesday morning when the tragedy occurred

The aircraft, a Learjet 45XR with registration VT-SSK operated by VSR Aviation, was scheduled to land at Baramati airport at around 8:50 am when it encountered difficulties during the approach

The aircraft with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on board flew for around 35 minutes before crashing near Baramati, according to flight tracking data

According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Pawar was travelling with two personnel — Vidhip Jadhav, his personal security officer, and flight attendant Pinky Mali — and two crew members, the pilot, Captain Sumit Kapoor, and co-pilot, Captain Shambhavi Pathak

Emergency response teams arrived at the site near Baramati airport as the wreckage smouldered, and rescue operations were carried out though none of the occupants survived

At the time of the crash, the Pawar family, including Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule and Sunetra Pawar, was in Delhi to attend the first day of the Budget session of Parliament, and is learnt to have left for Baramati soon after receiving the news

The Baramati community and political circles were plunged into shock as leaders and citizens gathered near the crash site and hospitals, paying tribute and expressing grief at the loss of a senior political figure

The Maharashtra government announced three days of state mourning following Pawar’s death. The national flag will be flown at half-mast across the state from January 28 to 30, and no official entertainment will be held during this period

Condolences poured in from across the political spectrum. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Pawar was “a leader of the people” with a strong grassroots connect, and praised his administrative understanding and commitment to empowering the poor