Mumbai/Baramati, January 28, 2026 : India plunged into mourning on Wednesday following the tragic death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar, who was killed in a chartered aircraft crash near the Baramati airport. Pawar, along with four others on board, died when the small aircraft crashed near the runway during a landing attempt and burst into flames.
According to officials and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the chartered plane took off from Mumbai around 8:00 am and crashed near Baramati at approximately 8:45 am. Visuals from the crash site showed the aircraft engulfed in flames, with thick smoke billowing into the air. All five persons on board — Ajit Pawar, his Personal Security Officer, an attendant, and two crew members — lost their lives.
Eyewitnesses reported that the aircraft appeared unstable while descending and exploded upon impact, triggering multiple blasts. Emergency services rushed to the spot, but there were no survivors.
The scale of the tragedy sent shockwaves across the country, with Chief Ministers and political leaders from across party lines expressing deep shock, grief, and condolences, calling Pawar’s death an irreparable loss to public life and governance.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said the tragedy was “difficult to absorb,” while Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah described Pawar’s demise as a “profound loss to public life.” Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta termed the incident “heartbreaking and shocking,” calling Pawar’s death an irreplaceable loss to Indian politics.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also paid tributes, highlighting Pawar’s contributions to governance, development, and public service.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah recalled his long association with Pawar, describing him as an able administrator and seasoned political organiser whose loss would be deeply felt.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed profound grief over the loss of his colleague, referring to Pawar as “Ajit da,” and announced that a thorough investigation would be conducted to ascertain the cause of the crash and prevent such incidents in the future.
Ajit Pawar was travelling to Baramati to address public meetings as part of the campaign for the February 5 zilla parishad elections. His sudden demise has left Maharashtra and the nation in shock, marking one of the darkest days in recent political history.
The last rites are expected to be held with full state honours, as the country remembers a leader whose political legacy and administrative acumen shaped Maharashtra’s politics for decades.
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