A private aircraft transporting Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed in western India on Wednesday, resulting in the tragic death of all five individuals aboard. The Learjet 45, en route from Mumbai to Baramati, crash-landed approximately 254 kilometers from its departure point and subsequently erupted in flames, with aviation authorities confirming no survivors.
The fatal incident occurred as Pawar, aged 66, was traveling to his political stronghold of Baramati to participate in local election campaigning. Initial reports from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation indicated that alongside the prominent politician, two personal staff members and two flight crew perished in the catastrophe. The precise cause of the crash remains under investigation, with television broadcasts capturing disturbing imagery of smoke billowing from the wreckage site in an open field.
Pawar stood as a pivotal figure within Maharashtra’s political landscape, serving as the state’s second-highest elected official while operating within Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling coalition framework. His political influence proved particularly formidable within the state’s agricultural regions, where he demonstrated remarkable capacity for mobilizing rural electoral support. Prime Minister Modi publicly expressed profound shock and sorrow regarding Pawar’s unexpected demise, characterizing the late deputy chief minister as a dedicated public servant whose administrative acumen and commitment to impoverished communities left a significant mark on regional governance.