Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others were killed after a chartered aircraft crash-landed at Baramati airport on Wednesday morning, according to an initial occurrence report issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The Learjet 45 aircraft, operated by VSR and registered as VT-SSK, was attempting to land at Baramati after departing Mumbai’s GA Terminal at 8.10 am when it crash-landed near the approach end of runway 11. According to preliminary information, poor visibility may have caused the pilot to miss the runway. All five people on board, including two crew members, were killed in the accident.
The flight also carried passengers Shri Vidip Jadhav and Smt. Pinky Mali, along with two crew members. Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash as the nation mourns the loss of the senior leader. Following the incident, Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar and his sister Supriya Sule are reportedly heading towards the crash site.
In his final post on X (formerly Twitter), Ajit Pawar remembered freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai, offering a heartfelt tribute on his birth anniversary. “On the occasion of his birth anniversary, humble salutations to the great freedom fighter, proclaimer of Swarajya, and 'Punjab Kesari' Lala Lajpat Rai ji, who dedicated his all for the nation's independence! His patriotism will forever continue to inspire us,” he wrote.
Lala Lajpat Rai later succumbed to severe injuries sustained during a police baton charge in Lahore in October 1928, when he was leading a peaceful protest against the all-British Simon Commission.
In 2019, Pawar briefly formed a government with the BJP, later serving as Deputy CM in the MVA government before joining the Shinde-BJP alliance in 2023. In February 2024, the Election Commission awarded the NCP name and symbol to his faction.
