Ajit Pawar Dies in Baramati Plane Crash
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died on January 28, 2026, after the chartered aircraft carrying him crashed while attempting to land at Baramati in Pune district, officials said.
Ajit Pawar and five other people on board were confirmed dead, including the pilots and his security personnel, authorities and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said.
The Learjet 45 (registration VT-SSK) was flying from Mumbai to Baramati when it encountered difficulties and crash-landed near the Baramati airstrip around 8.45 am, according to initial reports.
Emergency teams responded and wreckage of the aircraft was seen scattered at the site, with fire and thick smoke reported by witnesses.
Pawar, 66, also served as the chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction recognised by the Election Commission and was scheduled to attend public meetings ahead of the Zilla Parishad elections.
His sudden death has cast a pall over Maharashtra’s political landscape, with officials ordering a full investigation into the cause of the crash.
