Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar has been confirmed dead in a plane crash at his home turf, Baramati. As per reports, the NCP Chief’s aircraft crashed while attempting to land at the Baramati Airport. The 66-year-old leader was among five individuals on board, all of whom perished in the crash, as per the DGCA.
Videos of the crashed plane on social media show it up in flames as clueless witnesses gather around it. The crash site has currently been cordoned off as emergency teams and investigators have started a technical assessment to determine the exact cause of the crash.
#WATCH | Maharashtra | Wreckage of aircraft at the crash site in Baramati. The plane carried five people, including Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, all of whom died in the plane crash pic.twitter.com/ZZW81elKin
— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2026
The news has come as a jolt to the NCP cadre and the Pawar family, much of whom, including Supriya Sule and Sunetra Pawar, have rushed to Baramati from Delhi following the news.
What Happened?
Pawar was travelling to Baramati, his political home turf, to address four public meetings ahead of the upcoming Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections.
He was aboard a chartered aircraft Learjet 45 (registration VT-SSK) operated by VSR Ventures. The aircraft took off from Mumbai at approximately 8:10 am according to flight tracking data and DGCA officials.
Here are some key details that have emerged so far:
- Time of Crash: The aircraft disappeared from radar around 8:45 AM and crashed shortly after.
- Landing Attempt: The plane was reportedly making its second approach to the Baramati runway when it encountered technical difficulties, lost control, and crash-landed.
- Fatalities: Along with Ajit Pawar, the crash claimed the lives of his personal security officer, an attendant, and two pilots (identified as Captain Sumit Kapur and Captain Shambhavi Pathak).
- Eyewitness Accounts: Local residents reported seeing the aircraft appear “unstable” before it hit the ground and exploded. Visuals from the site showed the wreckage completely engulfed in flames with thick plumes of black smoke.
Tributes pouring in
Leaders across the spectrum are mourning. PM Narendra Modi called him a “leader of the people” with real grassroots roots. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde shared their grief too, stating that it feels like losing an elder brother.
About Ajit Pawar (1959–2026)
Known popularly as “Dada,” Ajit Pawar was one of Maharashtra’s most powerful and influential political figures. He was the nephew of veteran politician Sharad Pawar, though he famously led a split in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in 2023 to join the NDA government.
He served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra for a record six terms under various administrations. He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar, and two sons, Parth and Jay Pawar.
This is a developing story.
