DGCA Confirms Baramati Plane Crash, Ajit Pawar Dies
DGCA Confirms Crash Near Baramati Runway
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party chief Ajit Pawar died on Wednesday morning after a chartered aircraft crash near Baramati airport. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the aircraft crash-landed at the runway threshold at 08:45 local time.
Five persons on board, including Pawar, were killed in the incident. The aircraft was flying from Mumbai to Baramati. Pawar was accompanied by a personal security officer, an attendant, and two crew members. The DGCA said further details of the crash were awaited.
Travel Linked to Official and Political Schedule
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Pawar was travelling to Baramati to attend a Zilla Parishad election rally. A day earlier, he had been in Mumbai for a Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The aircraft involved was a Learjet 45XR owned by VSR Ventures Private Limited, a non-scheduled aircraft operator. The jet is designed for short- to medium-haul flights and can seat up to eight passengers.
Political Career and Administrative Record
Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, having held the post six times under different governments. He began his political career in 1982, was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1991, and later vacated the seat for his uncle, Sharad Pawar.
In 2019, Pawar led a split in the Nationalist Congress Party and joined the BJP-led government. His political journey remained closely linked to Baramati, his home constituency.
Leaders Condole, State Announces Mourning
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described Pawar’s death as an unprecedented loss and said all official programmes had been cancelled. A public holiday was declared in Maharashtra, and a three-day state mourning period was announced. Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Fadnavis departed for Baramati following the incident.
President Droupadi Murmu expressed condolences, calling the death an irreparable loss and noting Pawar’s contributions to Maharashtra’s development, particularly in the cooperative sector. Several national and state leaders also issued condolence messages.
Demand for Probe and Past Safety Record
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called for a Supreme Court-monitored investigation and hinted at a possible conspiracy behind the crash.
VSR Ventures had faced a similar incident on September 14, 2023, when another Learjet 45XR owned by the company crash-landed at Mumbai airport. Investigations are underway to determine the cause of Wednesday’s crash in Baramati.
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