Maharashtra was plunged into shock and grief on Wednesday after Deputy Chief Minister and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar died in a devastating aircraft crash near Baramati. The tragic incident claimed the lives of Pawar and four others when the small chartered plane they were travelling in met with an accident while attempting to land in Pune district earlier in the morning.
The sudden loss of one of the state’s most influential political figures sent waves of disbelief across Maharashtra. Within hours of the tragedy, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a state holiday and declared three days of official mourning as a mark of respect. Confirming the decision, he said, “Today we have declared a state holiday, and three days of state mourning have also been announced.”
The Mahayuti government has decided to accord Ajit Pawar a state funeral, which is scheduled to take place later this evening in Baramati. Senior leaders from across party lines are expected to attend the last rites to pay their final respects.
Family members of the late leader rushed to Baramati as news of the crash spread. NCP founder and Ajit Pawar’s uncle Sharad Pawar, along with his wife Pratibha Pawar, left Mumbai for Baramati. His cousin and NCP-SP Member of Parliament Supriya Sule also departed from Delhi with Pawar’s wife Sunetra. They were in the national capital to attend the ongoing Budget session of Parliament when the tragedy occurred.
Baramati, long considered Ajit Pawar’s political bastion, came to a complete standstill as grief engulfed the town. A spontaneous bandh was observed, with shops, markets, and commercial establishments remaining closed throughout the day. Traders and shopkeepers voluntarily pulled down shutters, describing the moment as an irreparable loss for the region and its people.
Outside the Punyashlok Ahilyabai Holkar Government Medical College, large crowds of NCP workers and Pawar’s supporters gathered, many raising slogans and breaking down in tears. Emotions ran high as supporters struggled to come to terms with the sudden end of a leader they fondly referred to as “Dada.”
According to officials, the aircraft had taken off from Mumbai at around 8:10 am and was scheduled to land in Baramati at approximately 8:50 am. There were five people on board, including Ajit Pawar, his personal security officer Vidip Jadhav, pilots Sumit Kapur and Sambhavi Pathak, and flight assistant Pinki Mali. The aircraft crashed just before landing, leaving no survivors.
