Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar dies in plane crash
Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister and a big name in state politics, lost his life in a tragic plane crash on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.
The Learjet he was flying in crashed and exploded near Baramati airfield, killing all five people on board.
The flight had just left Mumbai and was about to land when things went wrong.
What happened during the crash?
The plane missed its first landing attempt but got clearance to try again at 8:43am—though the pilot didn't confirm back.
Moments later, it crashed, creating a huge fireball that witnesses saw from the ground.
Investigators are now looking into what went wrong during those final 26 minutes, including the absence of a landing-clearance readback, visibility and visual cues, aircraft handling after the second approach, and communication gaps in an uncontrolled airfield environment.
Remembering Ajit Pawar
Known as "Dada," Pawar shaped Maharashtra politics for decades with six terms as Deputy Chief Minister.
His passing has led to three days of official mourning and canceled events across the state.
Leaders including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde were departing for Baramati, and Fadnavis canceled programs.