'Very saddening': Modi after Ajit Pawar dies in plane crash
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that he is extremely "shocked" by the "untimely" death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. "He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were...noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening," he wrote on X. The senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader died in a plane crash on Wednesday.
Casualties
All 5 on board confirmed dead
The incident occurred when the Learjet 45 aircraft, bearing registration VT-SSK and operated by VSR, crashed while landing at Baramati airport. The flight had taken off from Mumbai at 8:10am and crashed near the airport around 9:12am. The passengers included Pawar, his personal security officer, an attendant, and two security personnel. The crew comprised a pilot in command and a first officer.
Investigation underway
Technical issues suspected in crash
Reports suggest that the aircraft may have had technical issues, with preliminary assessments indicating a possible loss of control during landing. The recovery of the black box from the wreckage will be crucial to ascertain the exact sequence of events leading to this tragic incident. Political reactions have poured in, with Union Minister Piyush Goyal saying, "We all are mournful today. He was a close friend and a tall leader in Maharashtra."
Family response
Pawar's family members rush to crash site
Pawar was the nephew of veteran politician and NCP founder Sharad Pawar and the cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule. Both Sharad and Sule were in Delhi for Parliament's budget session but are expected to leave for Pune soon. Pawar was scheduled to address several rallies in Baramati for district council elections.