BJD Leaders Mourn Ajit Pawar, Call for Probe Into Fatal Plane Crash

"It is very shocking news and a great tragedy. His passing is a significant loss for the country, particularly for Maharashtra. He was a highly popular leader of Maharashtra, and his contributions to its development across all aspects will be remembered forever. With his demise, there will be a great vacuum in Indian politics, particularly in Maharashtra politics. Maharashtra expected many more things from Ajit Pawar," Acharya told ANI.

"I express my deepest sympathy to Ajit Pawar's family and his party members...Right now, it is very difficult to assess how it happened. So, a proper inquiry should be made into it..."

BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra called for an inquiry into the events leading to the plane crash, including the possibility of a technical snag.

"This is really sad...He was a 'doer', who actually worked...We are shocked. In the spectrum of regional parties in India, be it Sharad Pawar or Ajit Pawar, they had a great influence, especially in the western part of India...So, his death shocked everyone...Why it happened, whether there was a technical snag, and what the circumstances that caused it were should be inquired into in detail," Mishra told ANI

Officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and forensic teams on Thursday reached the crash site in Baramati to investigate the plane crash that claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and five others. The aircraft had crash-landed in Baramati on Wednesday morning.

The Pune Rural Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) at the Baramati Taluka Police Station in connection with the crash and have initiated further investigation.

"Pune Rural Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) at Baramati Taluka Police Station in connection with the air crash in which Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar lost his life. Further investigation initiated," a police official from Pune police said.

Union Minister Raksha Khadse termed the incident heart-rending and said Maharashtra would not see another leader like Ajit Pawar.

"The accident yesterday is heart-rending. Nobody had thought that something like that would happen. We were all sad to hear the news yesterday. I think Maharashtra will not have any other leader like Ajit Dada. He worked in the interiors. He was a good leader who played a big role in Maharashtra's development," Raksha Khadse told reporters.

Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray arrived in Baramati to attend Ajit Pawar's funeral.

Funeral preparations are underway at the Vidya Pratishthan ground in Baramati for the Nationalist Congress leader.

Supporters of NCP chief and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar gathered outside Ahilyabai Holkar Government Medical College to pay their final respects as his mortal remains were taken out.

The funeral procession for Maharashtra's longest-serving Deputy CM (non-consecutively) will start from the Vidya Pratishthan campus (Gadima) at 9 AM, pass through the city for people to pay their respects to Pawar, and culminate at the Vidya Pratishthan Ground for the funeral, scheduled for 11 AM.

The mortal remains of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will be carried in a decorated rath for his 'Antim Yatra' today. The chariot is adorned with flowers and features Pawar's image and a board reading "Swargiya Ajitdada Pawar amar rahein" (Long live Ajit Dada Pawar).

- ANI