Official Report: Ajit Pawar’s Plane Incident Shakes Baramati

Early on January 28, 2026, a chartered business jet carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar (66) crashed near Baramati airport. Pawar and all five others aboard were killed. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that “no person on board has survived”.

The Bombardier Learjet 45 had taken off from Mumbai and, according to flight data, was making a second approach to Baramati when it veered off the runway and exploded during landing. Baramati airport authorities said the aircraft “went off the side of the runway and crashed”. Eyewitnesses described the plane as unstable and saw it erupt into flames and multiple explosions on impact. Initial reports indicate dense fog and poor visibility at the time, and investigators said the pilot had reported difficulty seeing the runway in heavy rain.

The crash was officially confirmed within hours and widely reported by major news outlets. DGCA’s preliminary statement was published by Reuters, stating that Ajit Pawar – who led a breakaway faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) aligned with Prime Minister Modi’s coalition – died along with four staff and two crew. According to Reuters, Pawar had split from his uncle Sharad Pawar’s NCP in 2023 to join the BJP–Shiv Sena government.

The charter flight had been heading to Baramati for election rallies in the upcoming Zilla Parishad polls. Police and rescue teams immediately secured the site and recovered the wreckage; Baramati Police said they found no survivors on board.

Official Condolences and Political Reactions

News of Pawar’s death drew outpourings of grief across the political spectrum. President Droupadi Murmu took to social media to mourn his “untimely demise,” calling it “an irreparable loss” and praising his contribution to Maharashtra’s cooperative sector. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Pawar as “a leader of the people” with a strong grassroots connect, noting his dedication to serving Maharashtra’s poor and downtrodden. Both leaders extended condolences to Pawar’s family and the victims.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh posted that he was “deeply shocked and pained” by the news, recalling Pawar’s long service to the state’s development and compassion for the people. Home Minister Amit Shah said the loss had left him “deeply distressed,” remembering Pawar as an NDA colleague devoted to every section of Maharashtra society. Senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari called it “extremely shocking, unfortunate and heartbreaking,” paying heartfelt tribute to his close friend of many years.

Opposition figures also reacted with grief. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the news was “extremely heart-rending” and stood with the people of Maharashtra in mourning. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and MP Priyanka Gandhi expressed deep shock and extended sympathies to the Pawar family (the Gurugram constituency press noted Kharge’s statement and Priyanka’s comments to PTI).

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said she was “deeply shocked and stunned,” and urged a thorough investigation into the crash. Maharashtra’s chief minister Eknath Shinde called Pawar’s death a “great loss” to the state, describing him as courageous and disciplined. Opposition leader Sharad Pawar (the octogenarian NCP patriarch) rushed to Baramati with the family. Thousands of supporters and officials gathered to pay respects in Baramati, recognizing Pawar’s decades-long influence in western Maharashtra.

Crash Investigation and Early Findings

Authorities launched an immediate inquiry into the crash. The DGCA and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) were both involved in the probe. A senior Pune Rural Police official confirmed that the AAIB would lead the technical investigation and that local police would coordinate on the ground. Investigators are examining the wreckage, flight recorders and all flight communications.

Preliminary reports suggest a combination of mechanical failure and poor weather may have contributed. A Hindustan Times report cited flight tracking data showing the Learjet took off at 8:10 am and circled before attempting to land at 8:45. News18 and other media reported that the pilot requested an emergency landing, possibly due to technical issues. Airport manager Shivaji Taware said the plane “skidded off the runway” under emergency landing conditions. Sources told news agencies that heavy fog and rain in the Pune-Baramati area were factors; the pilot had noted extremely poor visibility before the crash.

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DGCA officials have emphasized that investigations are ongoing. All available evidence – including maintenance logs for VT-SSK, pilot communications, and weather reports – will be analyzed before any conclusions. The DGCA labeled the crash “tragic” and said it would release findings in due course. In the meantime, security and emergency protocols (including a VIP ambulance that had been at Baramati airport) were activated to recover victims and secure the site. Local officials ruled out any survivors or additional casualties on the ground.

Ajit Pawar’s Political Career and Legacy

Ajit Pawar was one of Maharashtra’s most prominent and long-serving leaders. He represented Baramati (in his native Ahmednagar district) for decades – first winning a by-election in 1991 and then winning every assembly poll there through 2019. Over the years he held numerous ministerial portfolios in the state: water resources, irrigation, agriculture, finance and rural development among them. He was widely regarded as a shrewd administrator with a “no-nonsense” style, particularly influential in the cooperative sector (as chairman of Pune’s central cooperative bank for 16 years, he had strong control over sugar and milk unions).

Pawar’s career was marked by a willingness to make bold, sometimes controversial moves. In November 2019 he stunned observers by breaking with the NCP and taking oath as deputy CM in a BJP-led government under Devendra Fadnavis. That alliance collapsed after 80 hours, and Pawar returned to the Congress-Shiv Sena coalition led by his uncle Sharad Pawar. In June 2023,

he made a far more consequential split: he led a faction of the NCP into the newly formed Devendra Fadnavis/Eknath Shinde government. The Election Commission subsequently recognized Ajit Pawar’s faction as the official NCP (awarding it the party name and symbol) for the 2024 general elections. By then Ajit Pawar had become Deputy Chief Minister again, serving alongside CM Shinde, marking his sixth non-consecutive term in the post.

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Known affectionately as “Dada,” Pawar was respected by colleagues for his deep grassroots base and administrative acumen. Leaders from across parties noted his role in Maharashtra’s development – Prime Minister Modi and others repeatedly highlighted his connection to rural development and the cooperative movement.

He had no formal health or security incidents in recent history, and the Baramati crash came as a complete shock. Pawar is survived by his wife Sunetra and sons Jay and Parth. In his 66 years, he rose from cooperative politics to the pinnacle of state power. His death leaves a void in Maharashtra’s government and heralds a period of uncertainty, especially given upcoming local elections.