Tragic Plane Crash Claims Life of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in India

In a devastating aviation accident this morning, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar was killed along with four others when their chartered aircraft crashed during landing at Baramati Airport.

The Learjet 45 (registration VT-SSK), operated by VSR Aviation, departed from Mumbai around 8:00 AM IST. It was attempting to land at Baramati, Pawar’s home constituency and a key political stronghold, when it veered off the runway near threshold 11, impacted the ground, split apart, and burst into flames with visible explosions. Flight tracking data indicates the plane may have been on a second approach amid challenging conditions, though dense fog or other factors remain under scrutiny.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed all five individuals on board perished in the crash. Those killed include Ajit Pawar (66), Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, his personal security officer (PSO), an attendant/staff member, pilot Captain Sumit Kapoor and first Officer/Co-pilot Shambhavi Pathak.

Rescue teams, including Maharashtra Emergency Medical Services, rushed to the scene. Bodies were recovered and taken to a government hospital in Baramati. Visuals from the site showed thick smoke, mangled wreckage scattered across an open field near the runway, and emergency responders working amid the debris.

Pawar, nephew of veteran leader Sharad Pawar and a seven-time MLA from Baramati, was en route to address four public meetings ahead of the upcoming Zilla Parishad elections on February 5.

Family members, including Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule (Pawar’s cousin), Sunetra Pawar (his wife), and son Parth Pawar—who were in Delhi for Parliament’s budget session—rushed toward Baramati. Last rites are expected to be held in Baramati.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and DGCA have launched a formal probe, with expectations that the black box (if recoverable) will clarify the cause. Preliminary reports point to the aircraft veering off during landing, but no official determination has been made.