The Bombardier Learjet 45, operated by Delhi-based charter company VSR Ventures Pvt. Ltd., disappeared from radar around 8:45 a.m. and crashed at 8:50 a.m., according to flight tracking data and police officials. The aircraft had taken off from Mumbai at 8:10 a.m.
All five people aboard were killed in the crash, including Pawar's close aide Vidip Jadhav, Personal Security Officer Pinky Mali, pilot Captain Sumit Kapur, and co-pilot Shambhavi Pathak.
Union Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu said preliminary information indicated poor visibility at the airport during the crash. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has dispatched a team from Delhi to inspect the crash site and investigate the incident.
State Mourning Declared
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a three-day state mourning period and canceled all his scheduled events. "This is a personal loss for me," Fadnavis said, describing Pawar's death as "an irreparable loss and a difficult day for Maharashtra."
Pawar's funeral will be held with full state honors on Thursday, January 29, at 11 a.m. at Vidya Pratishthan in Baramati. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are expected to attend, along with leaders from across the political spectrum.
Political Career Spanning Decades
Ajit Pawar was a key figure in Maharashtra politics for over three decades, having served multiple terms as Deputy Chief Minister and held the finance portfolio in several governments. He was known as a disciplined administrator with strong command over government operations.
The veteran politician had recently joined the ruling Mahayuti alliance and was actively campaigning for local body elections at the time of his death.
Condolences Pour In
Political leaders across party lines expressed shock and grief over Pawar's sudden death. Prime Minister Modi spoke with NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar's uncle, to express condolences.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, who served alongside Pawar as Chief Minister from 2019 to 2022, said: "Even though he chose a different path in politics, he did not let our relationship break."
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge called it "an untimely loss of a leader who had a long and promising political career ahead."
Calls for Investigation
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee demanded a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the crash, stating she had "no faith in any agency." Several opposition leaders, including Kharge, backed her call for a thorough probe.
The mortal remains were taken to Vidya Pratishthan ground to allow the public to pay their last respects before Thursday's funeral ceremony.
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