Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar dies in a plane crash near Baramati this morning; four others killed. PM Modi and national leaders express shock.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar tragically died in a plane crash early this morning while flying from Mumbai to Baramati. Four others, including the pilots and his security personnel, also lost their lives in the accident. The small aircraft, a Learjet 45 operated by VSR, took off from Mumbai at 8:10 am and crashed near Baramati airport around 8:45 am during a landing attempt.

Visuals from the crash site showed fire, smoke, and mangled wreckage, with ambulances rushing the injured to nearby hospitals. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation confirmed that all five people onboard were killed.

Ajit Pawar, 66, was the nephew of NCP founder Sharad Pawar and cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule. Both Sharad Pawar and Sule, who were attending the Parliament’s budget session in Delhi, are expected to fly to Pune. He is survived by his wife Sunetra and sons Parth and Jay.

Ajit Pawar had served as Deputy Chief Minister under four Chief Ministers: Prithviraj Chavan, Uddhav Thackeray, Eknath Shinde, and Devendra Fadnavis. In 2023, he led a split in the NCP, joining the NDA government as Deputy Chief Minister. Recently, there had been talks of an NCP reunion, and the two factions contested the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation elections together. The Pawar family, NCP leadership, and Maharashtra government are yet to issue an official statement.

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Superintendent of Police Sandip Singh Gill said a fire broke out following the crash and all victims were immediately taken to nearby hospitals. Flight tracker Flightradar24 reported that the plane disappeared from radar at approximately 8:45 am.

Several national leaders expressed shock over the incident. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Pawar’s death as “shocking and saddening,” highlighting his grassroots connection, administrative expertise, and commitment to empowering the poor. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he was “deeply pained” and called the loss personal. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised his lifelong dedication to Maharashtra’s development. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge described the news as “deeply shocking and profoundly distressing,” offering condolences to the Pawar family, supporters, and well-wishers.