BARAMATI/MUMBAI: A pall of gloom descended over Maharashtra today as the state woke up to the shocking news of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s death. The 66-year-old Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, often referred to as the ‘Dada’ (elder brother) of Maharashtra politics, was killed instantly when his aircraft crashed at the Baramati Airport.
The Crash Timeline According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the ill-fated aircraft, a Bombardier Learjet 45 (Registration VT-SSK) operated by VSR Ventures, took off from Mumbai at approximately 8:10 AM. Pawar was en route to Baramati to attend a series of Zilla Parishad election rallies. Officials report that around 8:45 AM, the pilots requested an emergency landing due to a suspected technical snag. Eyewitnesses near the airfield described a terrifying scene: the aircraft appeared unstable during its final approach, clipped the runway threshold, and cartwheeled into the adjoining fields before exploding into a massive fireball. “We heard a deafening blast and saw black smoke rising within seconds. By the time we reached the fence, the heat was unbearable,” said a local resident who witnessed the crash.
Casualties and Response Rescue teams recovered five charred bodies from the wreckage. They have been identified as Ajit Pawar, his Personal Security Officer (PSO), a personal attendant, and the two pilots (Pilot-in-Command and First Officer). The mortal remains have been shifted to Baramati Medical College for post-mortem, after which they will be kept for public homage.
A Political Titan Falls Ajit Pawar’s death marks the end of a significant era. As the nephew of veteran leader Sharad Pawar, he was a dominant force in the state’s cooperative sector and water management policies. Having served as Deputy Chief Minister multiple times under different alliances, his ability to steer the administration was widely acknowledged even by his critics. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep anguish, tweeting, “Ajit Dada was a grassroots leader dedicated to the development of Maharashtra. His untimely passing leaves a void that will be hard to fill.” The Maharashtra government has declared a three-day state mourning. All official entertainment events have been cancelled, and the National Flag will fly at half-mast across the state.
