Air charter crash in India’s Maharashtra kills key state leader

Ajit Pawar, the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra and a prominent political figure, was killed on Wednesday when his charter aircraft crashed en route to Baramati, the aviation regulator confirmed. All five people on board, including two staff members and two crew, died in the incident.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reported that Pawar’s aircraft went down in flames during its flight from Mumbai to Baramati, where he was scheduled to campaign in the upcoming local body elections. “No person on board has survived,” the DGCA said in an initial statement.
According to Indian media, the chartered flight departed from Mumbai and attempted an emergency landing near Baramati, 250 kilometers away, in Pawar’s home constituency. Video footage from the crash site showed thick plumes of smoke rising from the burning wreckage, scattered across an open field.

The DGCA confirmed that in addition to Pawar, the crash claimed the lives of two of his staff and two crew members. Authorities have not yet released the identities of the other victims, and the cause of the crash is under investigation.

Ajit Pawar’s political role and legacy
Ajit Pawar was a senior leader in Maharashtra politics and hailed from one of the state’s most influential political families.

In 2023, he led a faction that broke away from the opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and joined forces with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), helping to form the current state government.

Pawar remained an important political player in western India, particularly in Baramati, his traditional stronghold.

Footage broadcast by local media showed parts of the aircraft engulfed in flames. The field where the crash occurred has been cordoned off, with emergency teams conducting recovery operations. Further details are expected as authorities investigate the cause of the crash and identify all victims.