A plane crash has claimed the life of Maharashtra State Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, according to India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The aircraft, which departed from Mumbai on Wednesday, crash-landed at Baramati Airport, located in Pawar’s constituency. The DGCA confirmed that two members of the politician’s staff and two crew members were also killed in the incident.
Authorities said the cause of the crash has not yet been officially determined, as investigations are ongoing.
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Flight tracking service FlightRadar reported that the aircraft was attempting a second approach to land at Baramati Airport when the incident occurred.
According to officials cited by The Times of India, the aircraft, a Learjet 45 operated by VSR Aviation, went down at approximately 8:45am local time.
Reports indicated that Pawar was travelling to Baramati to attend a public rally ahead of the Zilla Parishad elections.
Reacting to the incident, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Pawar’s death as “very shocking and saddening.”
In a post on X, Modi said the late deputy chief minister was widely respected for his dedication to public service and strong administrative expertise, particularly in advancing programmes for the poor and vulnerable.
Emergency responders and aviation authorities have secured the crash site, while a full technical investigation has been launched to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident.
