Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s last rites to be held with full state honours

Baramati: The last rites of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will be held with full state honours on Thursday in Baramati at Vidya Pratishthan ground at 11 am.

The state government has declared a three-day mourning period. During the mourning period, the national flag will fly at half-mast on all government buildings in Maharashtra. All state government offices will remain closed on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, and no official entertainment programmes will be organised.

Crash details and investigation

Pawar and four others were on board a Learjet operated by Delhi-based VSR Ventures when it crashed. The aircraft took off from Mumbai at 8.10 am and disappeared from radar around 8.45 am, police said. The crash occurred at 8.50 am.

“There were five passengers, including Pawar, his Personal Security Officer and an attendant, along with two crew members (pilot in-command and the first officer) on board,” a DGCA official said.

Superintendent of Police Sandip Singh Gill added, “After the crash, there was a fire. People onboard were immediately taken to the hospital.”

An eyewitness described the aircraft as “a bit unstable in the air” and said it exploded on impact. Another observer said, “After the crash, the aircraft burst into flames, followed by four to five consecutive blasts.”

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will visit the site to probe the cause of the accident.

Pawar’s political legacy

Ajit Pawar is survived by his wife Sunetra, a Rajya Sabha member, and two sons, Parth and Jay. He was a senior figure in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and had recently contested municipal corporation elections in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad alongside his uncle Sharad Pawar.

Sharad Pawar visited Baramati airport and the medical college where Ajit Pawar’s body was taken. Supriya Sule, Lok Sabha member from Baramati and daughter of Sharad Pawar, appeared inconsolable.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray noted that despite joining a different political camp, Ajit Pawar maintained personal ties with him.

National leaders express grief

President Droupadi Murmu tweeted that Pawar “will always be remembered for his special contribution to the development of Maharashtra, especially in the cooperative sector.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him “a leader of the people with a strong grassroots level connect” and described his death as “untimely and very shocking.”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Pawar’s demise was “a personal loss not only for the NDA family but also for me.” Modi and Shah also spoke to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to enquire about the incident.

Fadnavis described Pawar’s death as “unbelievable” and said, “After working closely together, it is unbelievable that he is no more. Ajit Pawar’s death has left a void that will never be filled. He was a people's leader who knew the state well and had a deep understanding of the issues in Maharashtra. It takes several years to build and establish such leadership.”

Deputy CM Eknath Shinde called the accident “sad and unfortunate” and said it will be thoroughly probed.

Baramati airport and flight details

Baramati airfield, an uncontrolled airport, issued a statement on the sequence of events. The aircraft, VI-SSK, first contacted Baramati ATC at 8.18 am IST and was later released by Pune approach while descending in Visual Meteorological Conditions at the pilot’s discretion. Winds were calm, and visibility was around 3,000 metres, the statement said.