Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar tragically died on Wednesday morning, January 28, 2026, when the private plane he was travelling in crashed near Baramati in Pune district. The aircraft was attempting to land at Baramati Airport when it went down and burst into flames, killing all six people on board, officials confirmed.
The aircraft, a Learjet 45 (registration VT-SSK) operated by a charter company, was flying from Mumbai to Baramati where Pawar was scheduled to attend several public meetings related to the upcoming local elections. According to preliminary reports, the plane crashed around 8:48 a.m. while approaching the runway and exploded on impact, leaving no survivors.
Among those killed alongside Ajit Pawar were his personal security officer, an attendant, and two pilots. Eyewitnesses described how the aircraft fell short of the runway before crashing amid fire and smoke, and locals rushed to the scene but were unable to rescue anyone due to the intensity of the blaze.
Ajit Pawar, aged 66, was a senior political leader and a key figure in Maharashtra politics. He served as Deputy Chief Minister and was the head of his faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which later joined the ruling coalition in the state. His unexpected death has sent shockwaves through political circles in Maharashtra and across India.
State and national leaders have expressed deep sorrow over the accident. Maharashtra authorities have announced an investigation into the cause of the crash, with aviation regulators and emergency response teams at the site. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is expected to lead a formal inquiry to determine the technical or environmental factors that may have contributed to the tragedy.
A period of official mourning has been declared in the state as condolence messages pour in from across the political spectrum, reflecting the significant impact of Pawar’s sudden death on governance and public life in Maharashtra.
