Maharashtra deputy chief minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar was killed on Wednesday morning after the aircraft he was travelling in crash-landed at Baramati in Pune district.
Pawar and four others died in the incident. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) later confirmed the crash, stating that no person on board survived. The aircraft was carrying the deputy chief minister along with two other personnel and two crew members, the regulator said.
Initial reports suggest that the aircraft ran into trouble during its final approach and crashed on the runway. Following the accident, airport operations at Baramati were temporarily suspended, leading to delays in both arriving and departing flights.
Ajit Pawar was scheduled to attend multiple political programmes in Baramati later in the day. The crash has sent shockwaves across Maharashtra’s political circles, with senior leaders awaiting further details from official agencies.
The DGCA said it is examining the circumstances that led to the crash, including technical and operational aspects, and a detailed investigation has been ordered.