On Wednesday, January 28, 2026, Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief, Ajit Pawar, passed away due to a tragic plane crash in his hometown and constituency, Baramati. The fatal Baramati emergency landing killed Pawar and 4 others, creating a shockwave through the Indian political landscape.
He was in Mumbai on Tuesday to attend a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by CM Devendra Fadnavis.
Ajit Pawar and 4 Others Die in Plane Crash
Ajit Pawar died in a tragic plane crash this morning while he was flying from Mumbai to Baramati. Four other fatalities were also noted, including the plane’s crew members (Pilot-in-Command and First Officer), Pawar’s security personnel, and a staff member.
Passenger details onboard the aircraft:
- Ajit Dada Pawar
- Mumbai PSO HC Vidip Jadhav
- Pilot Capt. Sumit Kapoor
- Capt. Sambhavi Pathak
- Flight Attendant Pinky Mali
Reports suggest that Pawar was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad Elections.
Details of the Plane and the Crash
The plane, a Learjet 45 (Registration: VT-SSK) operated by VSR Ventures, took off from Mumbai at 8:10 AM and crashed around 8:45 AM at the Baramati Airport (Pune district).
After a nearly half-hour ride, as the plane attempted to land, it ended in a crash. Bystanders reported that as the plane approached the runway threshold, it appeared unstable. It fell roughly 100 feet before crashing and erupting into a massive fire with 4-5 explosions, engulfing the aircraft and the passengers.
“I saw it with my own eyes. This is really painful. When the aircraft descended, it seemed it would crash—and it did. It then exploded. After that, we rushed there and saw that the aircraft was on fire. There were four to five more explosions in the aircraft. More people came, and they tried to pull the passengers out, but because of the huge fire, they couldn’t help,” news agency ANI quoted a local villager present on the crash site.
Investigation and Safety Concerns
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) have launched a full investigation into the cause of the crash. Initial findings suggest that there was poor visibility and a potential technical failure during the emergency landing.
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Notably, the VSR ventures also had a previous crash record. A similar crash landing took place at Mumbai Airport in September 2023. Despite the crash, everyone survived that time, but things escalated in Baramati, causing five deaths, including Ajit Pawar.
Reactions and Tribute to Ajit Pawar Plane Crash
People across India have been left devastated by the news of the plane crash and Ajit Pawar’s demise. The Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced three days of state mourning. National leaders like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah expressed deep sorrow, describing it as “an irreparable loss” to Maharashtra’s development and the cooperative sector.
Pawar’s family, Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule, have left for Baramati to be with the family. Ajit is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar, and two sons, Parth and Jay.