Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar died early Wednesday morning after the chartered aircraft he was travelling in crashed during a landing attempt at Baramati Airport in Pune district.
The crash claimed the lives of all five people on board, including the pilot and members of Pawar’s entourage, officials confirmed.
Ajit Pawar’s Final Facebook Message
Ajit Pawar remained active on social media until the final hours of his life. Just hours before the crash, he shared what became his last Facebook post, paying tribute to freedom fighter Lala Lajpat Rai on his birth anniversary.
In the post, Pawar wrote that Lajpat Rai had “sacrificed everything for the country’s freedom” and said his patriotism would continue to inspire generations.
Last Post on X Before the Tragedy
Pawar also made his final post on X (formerly Twitter) late Tuesday night. In that post, he spoke about a cabinet meeting and highlighted key decisions taken by the government. He shared the update along with a photograph.
Details of the Fatal Incident
Ajit Pawar, aged 66, was travelling to his home constituency Baramati to attend election-related events ahead of the upcoming Zilla Parishad elections.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the twin-engine Learjet 45, registered as VT-SSK, departed from Mumbai shortly after 8:00 am. The aircraft was attempting to land at Baramati around 8:45 am when it crash-landed near the runway and burst into flames.
Eyewitness Describes Terrifying Moments
A woman who witnessed the crash said the plane was seen circling the Baramati airstrip before the accident.
“It was circling in the air and did not appear stable. As it attempted to land, it hit the ground with force and exploded. The sound was so loud that we could hear it from our house,” she said.
She added that debris was thrown into the air and landed near her home, calling the scene “terrifying.”
‘We Knew It Would Crash,’ Says Another Witness
Another eyewitness said the aircraft appeared to lose control during descent.
“From the way it was coming down, we felt it would crash. It was around 100 feet above the runway. As we ran towards the site, we saw flames followed by four to five explosions, which forced us to stop,” he told reporters.
He added that learning Ajit Pawar was on board made the incident even more shocking.
