Private Jet Crash in Maharashtra: Reports Claim Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar Among the Dead

Melbourne, 28 January – A private aircraft crashed in India’s Maharashtra state on Wednesday morning, with reports claiming that Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was among at least five people killed in the incident.

According to preliminary information from local authorities, the crash occurred in a hilly area near Baramati. The aircraft was carrying six passengers at the time of the accident.

Eyewitnesses and rescue officials said that the front section of the aircraft was completely destroyed after impact and caught fire immediately. A large portion of the plane was reduced to ashes due to the intensity of the blaze, while thick smoke and flames were visible from a distance.

Initial investigations suggest that dense fog had severely reduced visibility in the area at the time of the crash. The pilot reportedly attempted an emergency landing but lost control, causing the aircraft to crash into the mountainous terrain. Local residents rushed to the scene after hearing a loud explosion and assisted in rescue efforts before fire and emergency services arrived and brought the flames under control.

Ajit Pawar is a prominent political figure in Maharashtra and a senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Reports of his death have triggered widespread shock and grief across the state. The identities of some of the other victims have not yet been officially disclosed, while several injured passengers were rushed to nearby hospitals in critical condition.

Following the incident, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and senior officials of the central government expressed condolences. The civil aviation authorities and the state administration have launched separate investigations to determine the exact cause of the crash.

Source: India Today