Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s plane crash landed at Baramati airport Wednesday morning.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has confirmed that the Nationalist Congress party leader was on the plane, along with two of his staff members and two plane crew members. According to initial information, no person on board has survived the crash.
NCP leaders and supporters have begun arriving at Pawar’s residence in Baramati and the hospital where the bodies have been taken after the incident.
Several videos have emerged in which charred remains of the aircraft can be seen at the accident site. Baramati is a traditional stronghold of the Pawar family.
Tributes have begun pouring in from across the political spectrum, with Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi among the first to express condolences. “This is very shocking, painful and heart-rending. There have been differences between us, but we have worked together. He was a really committed man who kept to his work. I express my sympathies to Pawar sahab, Supriya ji,” she told news agency ANI.
In July 2023, Ajit Pawar along with his loyalists broke away from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)—led by his uncle Sharad Pawar—and joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)–Shiv Sena alliance in Maharashtra.
AJIT PAWAR NO MORE | LIVE UPDATES
1.15 pm: Mamata calls for probe
West Bengal CM & Trinamool Congress chief reacted to Ajit Pawar’s death via a post on X.
“My condolences to his family including his uncle Sharad Pawar ji, and late Ajitji’s all friends and followers. The incident needs proper investigation,” she wrote.
Deeply shocked and stunned by the suddden demise of Ajit Pawar! The Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and his co-passengers have died in a disastrous plane crash at Baramati today morning, and I am feeling a deep sense of loss.
My condolences to his family including his uncle…
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) January 28, 2026
1.00 pm: ‘Words fail me’: Aaditya Thackeray
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray took to X to extend his “humble tribute” to Ajit Pawar and others killed in the crash.
“I had the opportunity to work with dada for 5–6 years… first in the government and then for a few days in the Opposition. His commanding grip on legislative affairs and his affectionate nature won over many like me. Even when I was in the Opposition, I had publicly said this many times,” he wrote.
अजित दादांची बातमी ही धक्कादायक आहे! शब्दच नाहीत.
दादांसोबत गेले ५–६ वर्षं काम करण्याची संधी मिळाली… पहिलं सरकारमध्ये आणि नंतर काही दिवस विरोधी पक्षात. त्यांची विधिमंडळ कारभारावर असलेली रुबाबदार पकड आणि प्रेमळ स्वभाव हा आमच्यासारख्या अनेकांना आवडायचा. मी हे विरोधी पक्षात असताना…
— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) January 28, 2026
12.40 pm: What Flightradar24 says
Flight tracker data shows the Learjet 45 aircraft took off from Mumbai Wednesday morning, and was attempting a second approach to Baramati airport when it crashed.
Indian media reporting the crash of a business jet this morning has claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and 4 others. The aircraft was attempting a second approach to Baramati Airport when it crashed. https://t.co/0RKiD9sZVU pic.twitter.com/1kcoWgc3I1
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) January 28, 2026
12.30 pm: Maharashtra announces three-day state mourning
The Chief Minister’s Office has announced that Fadnavis has cancelled all his programmes, and both he and Deputy CM Shinde would be departing for Baramati shortly. A public holiday has been declared in the state today (Wednesday), along with a three-day mourning period.
12.20 pm: Pawar’s supporters gather outside Baramati hospital
Visuals from outside the hospital in Baramati where the mortal remains of the Deputy CM and others onboard the plane have been brought:
#WATCH | Maharashtra | Huge crowd gathers outside Baramati hospital as mortal remains of Maharashtra Deputy CM and NCP leader, Ajit Pawar, have been brought here
He died in a charter plane crash while travelling from Mumbai to Bramati this morning. pic.twitter.com/xVcbIwxJIQ
— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2026
12.15 pm: ‘We faced many challenges together’
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis addresses media persons after Deputy CM Pawar’s death.
“There is an atmosphere of sadness in the state. Losing a leader like him is an unprecedented loss. In personal life, he was a good friend. We faced many challenges together. At a time when he was contributing to Maharashtra’s development, his untimely demise is a loss,” he says.
#WATCH | Mumbai | Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis says, "Maharahstra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar has lost his life in a plane accident. There is an atmosphere of sadness in the state. Losing a leader like him is an unprecedented loss. In personal life, he was a good friend. We faced… pic.twitter.com/F3bXxN9BlB
— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2026
11.45 am: ‘We worked as a team’
Maharashtra Deputy CM and former CM Eknath Shinde told media persons, “Ajit dada was a man of his word. We worked as a team when I was the CM, and he was Dy CM. As team we had started the Ladli Behen Yojana, and Ajit dada played an important role in it.”
11.35 am: ‘Skilled administrator with ability to take tough decisions’
Senior Maharashtra Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat wrote on X, “It is extremely heartbreaking that Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, a skilled administrator with the ability to take tough decisions, is no longer among us today. For many years, we worked together; with his passing, we have lost an outstanding leader. Heartfelt condolences.”
कुशल प्रशासक आणि कठोर निर्णय घेण्याची क्षमता असलेले महाराष्ट्राचे उपमुख्यमंत्री अजित पवार आज आपल्यात नाहीत, ही अत्यंत दुःखदायक घटना आहे. अनेक वर्ष आम्ही एकत्रित काम केले, त्यांच्या जाण्याने एक उमदा नेता आपण गमावलेला आहे. भावपूर्ण श्रद्धांजली.#AjitPawar pic.twitter.com/xTvyKjxO2s
— Balasaheb Thorat (@bb_thorat) January 28, 2026
11.20 am: Pawar’s security officer, attendant, aircraft crew among others killed
A Learjet 45 (VT-SSK) aircraft, operated by VSR, crash landed at Baramati airport early today. There were five people on board, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Shri Ajit Pawar, two personnel (1 PSO and 1 attendant) and 2 crew (PIC+FO) members, a DGCA official told ThePrint.
Read Mayank Kumar’s report.
11.15 am: ‘Committed man who kept to his work’
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi reacts to Ajit Pawar’s death, calling it “shocking, painful and heart-rending”.
“There have been differences between us, but we have worked together. He was a really committed man who kept to his work. I express my sympathies to Pawar sahab, Supriya ji, Sunetra ji, Parth and Jay. I also express sympathies to lakhs and crores of people in Baramati…Going away like this is very painful…” he said.
11.00 am: ‘Massive explosion, followed by 4-5 more’
An eyewitness in Baramati tells ANI that people rushed close to the aircraft after it crashed and exploded, but no one could step forward to help because of the fire.
#WATCH | Crash landing in Baramati | Baramati, Maharashtra: An eyewitness at the spot says, "I saw it with my eyes. This is really painful. When the aircraft descended, it seemed it would crash, and it did crash. It then exploded. There was a massive explosion. After that, we… pic.twitter.com/fBQplnxHON
— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2026
10.50 am: PM expresses condolences—’leader of the people’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X to express his condolences to Pawar’s family and supporters.
“Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra,” he wrote.
Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. 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… pic.twitter.com/mdgwwGzw4R
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 28, 2026
Saddened by the tragic air crash in Baramati, Maharashtra. My thoughts are with all those who lost their loved ones in the crash. Praying for strength and courage for the bereaved families in this moment of profound grief.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 28, 2026
10.45 am: Ajit Pawar’s family arrives in Baramati
Maharashtra Deputy CM’s wife Sunetra Pawar, sons Parth and Jay, NCP working president Praful Patel, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule have begun arriving in Baramati.
A WhatsApp status by Sule reads: “Devastated”.
