Pune, Jan 28 (PTI) A wristwatch, a constant companion of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who was a stickler for punctuality, served as the sombre proof to identify him at the plane crash site in Pune district, eyewitnesses claimed.
Wreckage of the crashed Learjet, which was engulfed in flames, lay strewn when villagers rushed to the spot, barely 200 metres from the edge of a tabletop runway at Baramati airport.
They claimed Pawar was identified by his wristwatch.
A viral video shows a person pointing at the wristwatch of a charred body, claiming the deceased person is Ajit Pawar.
Notably, the clock is the poll symbol of the Nationalist Congress Party, led by the late Ajit Pawar.
The 16-year-old aircraft, operated by VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, crashed while attempting a second landing approach at the airport, an uncontrolled airfield where traffic information is typically provided by instructors and pilots from local flying training organisations.
Pawar had taken off from Mumbai in the morning to address four rallies in the day in Pune district for the February 5 zilla parishad elections.
The others killed in the tragedy were Captain Sumit Kapoor, who had a flying experience of 15,000 hours, and Co-pilot Capt. Shambhavi Pathak, with 1,500 hours of flying, Personal Security Officer (PSO) Vidip Jadhav and flight attendant Pinky Mali.
A specialised team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) arrived at the crash site on Wednesday evening to initiate a forensic probe into the tragic accident.
Ajit Pawar’s last rites will be held with full state honours on Thursday in Baramati. PTI SPK NSK
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