A veteran Indian politician, Ajit Pawar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, and four others died in a plane crash on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. The chartered aircraft crashed while landing at Baramati Airport in Maharashtra. The accident occurred at approximately 8:30 am local time.
Pawar, a key political figure in Maharashtra, was 66 years old. He was en route to his home region to campaign in local elections. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that there were no survivors. Accompanying Pawar were his personal security officer, an assistant, and two crew members.
The aircraft, a Bombardier Learjet 45 operated by VSR Aviation, was traveling from Mumbai. According to Flight Radar, the flight took off from Mumbai at 8:10 am and disappeared from radar around 8:45 am. Initial reports suggest the aircraft attempted an emergency landing. An eyewitness stated that the aircraft appeared unstable before it crashed and exploded upon impact.
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on X, calling Pawar a "leader of the people" with a "strong grassroots level connect". Modi described Pawar's death as "shocking and saddening". Other political figures, including Devendra Fadnavis, Rahul Gandhi, and Mamata Banerjee, also shared their condolences.
The Maharashtra government has declared a three-day state mourning period. During this time, the national flag will be flown at half-mast on all buildings.
The DGCA and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau will investigate the cause of the crash. Initial reports indicate that poor visibility near the runway may have been a factor. The investigation is ongoing.
Ajit Pawar's death has left a leadership void in Maharashtra politics. He was known for shaping Maharashtra's financial planning and budgets for decades. Pawar's career included a long tenure as deputy chief minister and finance minister.
This is not the first time that India has lost political figures in air accidents. Other notable examples include Vijay Rupani, former Chief Minister of Gujarat, who died in a plane crash in 2025, and YS Rajasekhara Reddy, the former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, who died in a helicopter crash in 2009.
