LIVE
LIVE: Ajit Pawar's Funeral on Thursday; Modi, Shah Likely to Attend

28 Jan 2026 9:41 AM IST

According to the DGCA, five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai to Baramati died after a crash-landing at 8.45 am

LIVE: Ajit Pawars Funeral on Thursday; Modi, Shah Likely to Attend

Rescue work underway after an aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed during landing, at Baramati in Pune district, Maharashtra (PTI)

Pune: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four other persons were killed after an aircraft carrying them crashed in Pune district on Wednesday morning, officials said. The incident occurred when the plane carrying Pawar (66) and others landed near Baramati.

The last rites will be held with full state honours on Thursday in Baramati, Pune district. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are expected to attend the funeral, which will be held at Vidya Pratishthan ground at 11 AM.

Pawar was traveling to Baramati from Mumbai to address public meetings as part of the campaign for the February 5 zilla parishad elections in the state. According to Flight Radar, the flight took off from Mumbai at 8.10 am and it disappeared from radar around 8.45 am.

There were five people on board when the aircraft crashed at 8.50 am, a police official said.

Superintendent of Police, Sandip Singh Gill, said that after the crash, there was a fire. "People onboard were immediately taken to the hospital," he said.

The government on Wednesday declared three days of state mourning across Maharashtra as a mark of respect to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash, officials said.

State mourning will be observed from January 28 to January 30, during which the national flag will be flown at half-mast on all buildings. There will be no official entertainment during the mourning period, it said.

The department further declared that all state government offices across Maharashtra will remain closed on Wednesday on account of the demise of the deputy chief minister.

A source told PTI that the aircraft pilot had mentioned about poor visibility near the runway, before the aircraft attempted the landing.

The Learjet 45 (LJ45), a mid-size business jet aircraft produced by the Learjet Division of Bombardier Aerospace, went off the runway while attempting to land at Baramati airport and burst into flames, the source said.

Pawar is survived by wife Sunetra, a member of Rajya Sabha and two sons, Parth and Jay.

Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had contested the recent municipal corporation elections in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad in alliance with his uncle Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP).

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will probe the plane crash at Baramati airport that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others on Wednesday. The Learjet 46, operated by Delhi-based VSR Ventures, crash-landed at the airport. There were five people onboard, including the crew members, according to the aviation regulator DGCA.

A senior official told PTI that the AAIB will be visiting the crash site and it will be investigating the accident.

AAIB is responsible for classifying safety occurrences involving aircraft operating in Indian airspace as accidents, serious incidents, or incidents. It carries out detailed investigations into accidents and also suggests measures to improve safety.

Live Updates

28 Jan 2026 10:51 AM IST
Prominent leaders who were killed in plane and helicopter crashes
Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is perhaps the first Indian politician who reportedly died in a plane crash on 18 August 1945

Sanjay Gandhi
Madhavrao Scindia
Y S Rajasekhara Reddy
G M C Balayogi
Om Prakash Jindal
Cyprian Sangma
Soundarya
Dorjee Khandu
S Mohan Kumaramangalam
CDS General Bipin Rawat
Vijay Rupani
28 Jan 2026 10:42 AM IST

Deeply saddened by the tragic demise of Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Ajit Pawar in the aircraft crash. His passing is a profound loss to public life.

My heartfelt condolences to his family, colleagues, and supporters. May his soul rest in peace, and may his loved… pic.twitter.com/6bmWKJFzD3
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) January 28, 2026
28 Jan 2026 10:42 AM IST
Prime Minister Narendra Modi: Saddened by the tragic air crash in Baramati, Maharashtra. My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the crash. Praying for strength and courage for the bereaved families in this moment of profound grief.

Saddened by the tragic air crash in Baramati, Maharashtra. My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the crash. Praying for strength and courage for the bereaved families in this moment of profound grief.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 28, 2026
28 Jan 2026 10:36 AM IST

Deeply shocked and stunned by the suddden demise of Ajit Pawar! The Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and his co-passengers have died in a disastrous plane crash at Baramati today morning, and I am feeling a deep sense of loss.

My condolences to his family including his uncle…
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) January 28, 2026
28 Jan 2026 10:35 AM IST

Shocked to learn about tragic death of Maharashtra Dy CM Sri Ajit Pawar in a plane crash!

Since in last Maharashtra municipal elections, his party contested jointly with NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) and there were rumours in power corridors that both the factions may get merged…
— Somnath Bharti सोमनाथ भारती (@attorneybharti) January 28, 2026
28 Jan 2026 10:35 AM IST
DGCA orders probe into Baramati plane crash
28 Jan 2026 10:22 AM IST
This is a really unfortunate incident...Reports are coming in that Ajit Pawar was also onboard. If it is true, then this is a highly unfortunate day...This is a heart-rending incident. May God give strength to the affected families...He was not just the Deputy CM of Maharashtra but also a well-known politician in the country. This is an irreparable loss: Union Minister Giriraj Singh
28 Jan 2026 10:21 AM IST

#WATCH | Crash landing in Baramati | Five people onboard the Mumbai-Baramati charter plane, including Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, died as per initial information by the DGCA.

Visuals from the spot. pic.twitter.com/6MHqTi6gna
— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2026
28 Jan 2026 10:09 AM IST

#WATCH | Delhi | Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar passes away in a charter plane crash in Baramati; Visuals from ANI Archives

Ajit Pawar, Deputy CM of Maharashtra, was onboard along with 2 more personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and 2 crew (PIC+FO) members in the charter plane.… pic.twitter.com/pzJ12LvcQT
— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2026
28 Jan 2026 10:08 AM IST

#WATCH | Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi says, "This is very shocking, painful and heart-rending. There have been differences between us, but we have worked together. He was a really committed man who kept to his work. I express my sympathies to Pawar sahab, Supriya ji,… https://t.co/ZwkKypdSi1 pic.twitter.com/wbB0iEj9ey
— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2026