Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar dies in plane crash at Baramati

MUMBAI: Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar (55) died in a plane crash at Baramati in Maharashtra. The accident occurred during an emergency landing at Baramati airport. Four others including pilots and Pawar’s security personnel have also died in the crash. The incident happened Wednesday morning around 9 am, an hour after the plane took off from Mumbai. The plane, a Learjet 45 (registration VT-SSK) operated by VSR, crashed during an emergency landing, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Ajit Pawar was scheduled to visit Baramati to attend four important public meetings. Visuals from the crash showed the aircraft wreckage engulfed in flames. A technical glitch is cited to be the reason for the accident.

Ajit Pawar was the nephew of veteran politician and NCP founder Sharad Pawar, and cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule. Sharad Pawar and Sule, who were in Delhi for the Parliament's budget session, will soon be leaving for Pune.