New Delhi, Jan 28: In a catastrophic aviation accident that has stunned the nation, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar passed away on Wednesday morning. The 66-year-old leader was among six people on board a chartered Learjet 45 that crashed near Baramati during a landing attempt. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has tragically confirmed that there were no survivors.
The aircraft took off from Mumbai at approximately 8:00 AM, destined for Baramati, where Pawar was scheduled to address public meetings for the upcoming Zilla Parishad elections. Around 9:00 AM, while executing its landing phase, the plane reportedly lost control and plummeted. Witnesses described a horrific scene of fire and smoke as the mangled wreckage came to rest near the runway. Local residents were the first to reach the site, attempting to assist before emergency services and ambulances arrived.
The news has triggered an outpouring of grief across political lines. Pawar’s wife, Sunetra, and son, Parth, rushed to the site from Delhi, accompanied by his cousin, Supriya Sule. Senior security officials and forensic teams are currently at the scene, while the DGCA has initiated a high-level probe into the cause of the crash. The Maharashtra government has declared three days of state mourning to honor the veteran leader’s extensive legacy in public service.
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