NewKerala.com

Maharashtra Mourns: Ajit Pawar Killed in Baramati Plane Crash

Nationalist Congress Party leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash while traveling from Mumbai to Baramati. The charter aircraft crashed near the runway during landing, claiming the lives of all five people on board. Senior leaders including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Governor Acharya Devvrat paid respects at Vidya Pratishthan in Baramati. The state has declared a holiday and three days of mourning, with his last rites to be performed with full state honors.

Key Points: Ajit Pawar Dies in Baramati Plane Crash, State Mourns

  • Ajit Pawar killed in crash
  • All 5 on board died
  • State holiday declared
  • Probe teams at crash site
3 min read

Supriya Sule pays respects to cousin Ajit Pawar killed in Baramati plane crash

NCP leader & Deputy CM Ajit Pawar killed in a charter plane crash near Baramati. CM Fadnavis announces state mourning as tributes pour in.

"The last rites will be conducted tomorrow at 11 am - Kiran, Trustee"

Baramati, January 28

Nationalist Congress Party MP Supriya Sule on Wednesday arrived at Vidya Pratishthan in Baramati to pay her respects to her late cousin brother Ajit Pawar, who was killed in the Baramati plane crash this morning.

Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash while travelling from Mumbai to Baramati earlier today.

Additionally, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde were present at Vidya Pratishthan in Baramati to pay their respects to the late NCP leader.

Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat was also present to pay his respects. Sunetra Pawar broke down while meeting members of the Pawar family after the untimely demise of her husband in a charter plane crash that claimed four more lives.

Meanwhile, as part of the investigation into the crash, Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) officials were present at the office of VSR Ventures Private Limited, which operates the ill-fated charter plane. The AAIB team was seen placing boxes of documents into vehicles.

Ajit Pawar, 66, died this morning after the aircraft carrying him crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district. The plane crash-landed near the runway threshold, killing all five people on board the chartered plane. Among the deceased were his personal security officer, a flight attendant and two pilots.

The crash occurred around 8.48 am, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau have dispatched probe teams to the site of the mishap to investigate. Pawar was on his way to Baramati from Mumbai to campaign for the Zilla Panchayat elections.

Ajit Pawar's last rites will be performed with full state honours, the Maharashtra General Administration Department (Protocol) said.

Kiran, Trustee of Vidya Pratishthan, said that Pawar's last rites will be conducted tomorrow at 11 am.

"The mortal remains of Ajit Pawar will be kept at Vidya Pratishthan ground for the public to pay their last respects today. The last rites will be conducted tomorrow at 11 am," Kiran told ANI.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minsiter Devendra Fadnavis announced a state holiday and three days of mourning following the demise of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. During the three-day mourning period, the national flag will be flown at half-mast on all buildings across Maharashtra where it is regularly hoisted.

No government entertainment programmes will be organised during this period. All state government offices across Maharashtra will remain closed on Wednesday, January 28.

Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar and two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
This is tragic. The loss of life is always heartbreaking, but to lose a senior leader and his entire team in an instant is devastating. My thoughts are with the families of all five victims. The investigation must be thorough to prevent such accidents.
P
Priyanka N
So sad to see Supriya Sule paying respects. Despite political differences, family comes first. The image of Sunetra Pawar breaking down is heart-wrenching. No one should have to go through this. The state holiday is a fitting tribute to his long service.
A
Aman W
A leader who worked with governments across parties. Shows he was respected by all. But this crash raises serious questions about the safety of charter flights used by our politicians. The DGCA needs to audit all these operators strictly.
K
Karthik V
He was campaigning for local elections. Died in the line of duty, truly. A six-time deputy CM... that's a record. Maharashtra has lost a veteran. Hope the investigation is swift and transparent. The pilots and staff who died also deserve our prayers.
M
Michael C
The article mentions the AAIB taking documents. I hope the investigation looks at maintenance records, pilot training, and weather conditions. Safety protocols must be paramount, especially for those who serve the public. A tragic loss for Indian politics.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50