Ajit Pawar: Maharashtra deputy CM dies in fiery plane crash

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was among five people who died after a small aircraft crashed while attempting to land at the airport on Wednesday, Indian media reported.

The incident occurred in Baramati city of Pune district in the state of Maharashtra. Pawar was on a tour of Baramati and was scheduled to address four election rallies.

India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that all five people on board the aircraft died in the crash. The deceased include the aircraft’s two pilots and the Deputy Chief Minister’s security personnel. Details and identities of the remaining victims have not yet been released.

Indian authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the crash.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to inquire about the incident. Ajit Pawar, 66, was the chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

This incident adds to a series of recent aviation accidents in India. On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed just 30 seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people and leaving one survivor.

In another incident in November 2025, an Indian Air Force (IAF) HAL Tejas fighter jet crashed during an aerial display at the Dubai Air Show, killing its pilot. The aircraft went down while performing a manoeuvre for spectators at Al Maktoum International Airport.