Ajit Pawar, the deputy chief minister of India’s Maharashtra state and one of its most influential political figures, has died in a plane crash along with four others, according to the country’s aviation regulator.
The aircraft, which had taken off from Mumbai, crash-landed at the airport in Baramati — Pawar’s constituency and intended destination — the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said. The cause of the crash has not yet been officially confirmed.
Two members of Pawar’s staff and two crew members were also killed in the incident.
Visuals from the crash site showed the wreckage engulfed in flames and thick smoke.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the tragedy, saying he was “saddened” by the news and extended condolences to the families of the victims. In a separate message, he paid tribute to Pawar’s political legacy.
Ajit Pawar, nephew of veteran politician Sharad Pawar — founder of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) — played a central role in Maharashtra politics for decades and served multiple terms as deputy chief minister.
In recent years, he split from his uncle’s faction with several lawmakers to form his own party, which was later officially recognised by India’s Election Commission as the NCP. His group was part of Maharashtra’s ruling alliance alongside Prime Minister Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the crash as the state and nation mourn the sudden loss of a senior political leader.
