Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar Killed in Deadly Air Charter Crash

Ajit Pawar, deputy chief minister of India’s wealthiest state of Maharashtra, died on Wednesday along with four others when his chartered aircraft crashed in flames near Baramati.

The Learjet 45, operated by VSR Ventures, was carrying Pawar, two staff members, and two crew when it went down during its approach to the city. Authorities confirmed that there were no survivors.

Witnesses reported seeing smoke and multiple explosions as the jet hit an open field. “At first it was on fire, after that there were four or five more explosions,” one bystander told ANI, adding that the flames were too intense to rescue anyone.

The cause of the crash remains unclear. VK Singh, director of VSR Ventures, told India Today that the aircraft was “100% safe” and that the crew was experienced.

Pawar, a prominent figure in Maharashtra politics, had led a faction supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party after splitting from the Nationalist Congress Party in 2023. He was reportedly traveling to his home region to campaign in local body elections.

Prime Minister Modi expressed his shock on X, calling Pawar’s death “shocking and saddening.” The tragedy has sent waves of grief across India’s political landscape, as leaders and citizens mourn the loss of a senior official.

Emergency personnel, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), are investigating the crash site and the wreckage to determine what caused the fatal accident.

Keywords: Ajit Pawar death, Maharashtra deputy chief minister, India plane crash, Learjet 45 crash, Baramati air crash, VSR Ventures