MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar has been killed along with four others when a private aircraft crashed and burst into flames while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Maharashtra on Wednesday morning.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the Learjet 45 aircraft lost control during the landing phase and crash-landed at Baramati, resulting in a deadly fire. Ajit Pawar was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati to attend a public meeting amid elections to Zilla Parishads and Panchayat Samitis.
Officials said that besides Ajit Pawar, his personal security officer Vidhit Jadhav, an attendant identified as Pinki Jadhav, and two crew members—pilot-in-command Sumit Kapur and first officer Shambhavi Pathak—were on board. All five occupants died on the spot.
Emergency services, fire brigades and senior security officials rushed to the site immediately after the crash. Visuals from the area showed the wreckage engulfed in flames, with local residents attempting to assist rescue teams despite the intense fire. Authorities have cordoned off the area, and an investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause of the crash, including the possibility of technical failure or adverse weather conditions.
The tragic incident comes amid a worrying rise in aviation-related accidents in India. In recent years, several helicopter and aircraft crashes involving political leaders and security personnel have been reported. These recurring incidents have renewed concerns over flight safety standards, maintenance practices and operational risks, particularly during short-distance and VIP movements.
