Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash near Baramati airport on January 28, 2026. The incident killed all five on board, including two pilots, a flight attendant, and his personal security officer. His funeral will be held with full state honors in Baramati on January 29, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
On January 28, 2026, a Learjet 45 en route from Mumbai to Baramati crashed near the Baramati airport during a landing attempt. The victims included Ajit Pawar, Captain Sumit Kapoor (62), co-pilot Shambhavi Pathak (25), flight attendant Pinky Mali (29), and personal security officer Vidip Jadhav. The crash occurred due to poor visibility of 3 km during the second landing attempt. The aircraft belonged to Delhi-based VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd.
Ajit Pawar (66), NCP chief and six-time Deputy Chief Minister, was heading to Baramati for events related to the Zilla Parishad elections. Born on July 22, 1959, he was elected MLA from Baramati eight times and built a strong base in western Maharashtra as Sharad Pawar's nephew.
The Maharashtra government declared three days of state mourning. The funeral is scheduled for January 29 at 11 AM at Vidya Pratishthan Ground. His remains were taken to the Katewadi residence, where family members like Supriya Sule and Rohit Pawar gathered. The procession starts at 9 AM from Gadima.
Sharad Pawar stated, "This is a huge loss for Maharashtra. It was an accident; do not bring politics into it." Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde paid tributes. Questions arise over NCP succession: Will Sunetra Pawar, Parth Pawar, or Prafulla Patel take charge? Family reunification is speculated. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is probing the incident.
Baramati, a key political stronghold, mourns the leader known as 'Dada' for his grassroots connect and administrative skills. Supporters chanted 'Ajit Dada amar rahein' as crowds gathered. The crash has triggered concerns over the airstrip's facilities, lacking advanced navigation aids despite VIP traffic.
