Politics

Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar among five killed in aircraft accident

Ajit Pawar, NCP chief and Deputy CM, died in a plane crash near Baramati while travelling for election meetings

January 28, 2026

Five killed in Baramati plane crash including Ajit Pawar

Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, four others killed after aircraft crashes near Baramati airport

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar was among five people killed on Friday morning when the small aircraft he was travelling in crashed during a landing attempt near Baramati airport, officials confirmed.

The Learjet 45, which departed Mumbai around 8 am for Baramati, went down at approximately 9 am, just an hour after takeoff. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), all five people on board — including Pawar, the two pilots, a passenger and Pawar’s personal security officer — died in the accident.

Details of the crash

Initial reports indicate the aircraft lost control as it attempted to land in Baramati. Fire and smoke were seen billowing from the site, where the plane’s mangled wreckage lay strewn near the runway. Emergency services, including ambulances and fire crews, raced to the scene, but were unable to save the occupants.

Visuals from the site showed extensive damage to the aircraft fuselage, with police, civil aviation officials and local residents present as investigators began examination of the crash site.

Officials said it is still too early to determine the exact cause of the crash, and investigators are collecting evidence, including data from the plane’s black box and CCTV footage from the airport vicinity.

Pawar was en route for election meetings

Pawar, 66, was reportedly travelling from Mumbai to attend a series of public meetings in the region ahead of ongoing local body elections in Maharashtra. The deputy chief minister had planned to address four important events in Baramati and surrounding areas.

The NCP leader was the nephew of veteran politician and party founder Sharad Pawar and cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule. Both Sharad Pawar and Sule, who were attending Parliament’s budget session in Delhi at the time, are expected to travel to Pune and Baramati following the crash.

Maharashtra state officials and national leaders have expressed shock and sorrow at the loss of the deputy chief minister, a senior political figure in the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that he is “shocked” by the “untimely” death of Ajit Pawar.

In a post on X, PM Modi said that Ajit Pawar, was a “leader of the people” who had a strong grassroots-level connection.

“He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti,” PM Modi wrote.

President Droupadi Murmu noted that the untimely demise of Ajit Pawar is an irreparable loss.
In an X post, she said: “The news of the death of several people, including Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash in Baramati, Maharashtra, is extremely tragic. The untimely demise of Ajit Pawar ji is an irreparable loss. He will always be remembered for his special contribution to the development of Maharashtra, especially in the cooperative sector. I express my deep condolences to his family, supporters, and admirers. May God grant strength to the families of all others who lost their lives in this accident to bear this blow.”

For all the latest updates, download PGurus App.