Ajit Pawar killed in Baramati plane crash; CM Fadnavis pays tribute

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar dies in a charter plane crash in Baramati. CM Fadnavis & Deputy CM Shinde met his wife Sunetra to pay respects. Last rites will be held with state honours. A state holiday and 3-day mourning have been announced.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy Eknath Shinde on Wednesday met Sunetra Pawar, wife of the late Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar, in Baramati and paid their respects. Pawar was killed in a crash landing of a charter plane in Baramati this morning.

Governor Acharya Devvrat was also present along with Fadnavis and Shinde. The leaders reached the Vidya Pratishthan to pay their last respects to Pawar, who died in a crash landing of a charter plane.

Last Rites and Public Homage

According to the Maharashtra General Administration Department (Protocol), the last rites of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will be performed with full sttae honours.

Kiran, Trustee of Vidya Pratishthan, said that Pawar's last rites will be conducted tomorrow at 11 am. "The mortal remains of Ajit Pawar will be kept at Vidya Pratishthan ground for the public to pay their last respects today. The last rites will be conducted tomorrow at 11 am," Kiran told ANI.

Pawar was on his way to Baramati to campaign for the Zilla Panchayat elections.

State Mourning Declared

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis announced a state holiday and three days of mourning following the demise of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.

During the three-day mourning period, the national flag will be flown at half-mast on all buildings across Maharashtra where it is regularly hoisted. No government entertainment programmes will be organised during this period. All state government offices across Maharashtra will remain closed on Wednesday, January 28.

CM Fadnavis Calls it a 'Personal Loss'

Mourning Ajit Pawar's demise, Fadnavis said that there is a "wave of sorrow" across Maharashtra. He recalled Pawar as a hardworking leader and noted his contributions to the state. Referring to the tragic incident as a personal loss, Devendra Fadnavis said, "Ajit Dada was a hardworking leader and did not shake in any circumstances. It is a difficult day for Maharashtra. It takes time to develop such leadership. He had major contribution to Maharashtra's development. His demise is shocking, and for me, it's a personal loss; a friend has left me. It's a very big loss for the family."

Investigation into Plane Crash

The plane crash occurred around 8.48 am, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau have dispatched probe teams to the crash site to investigate. (ANI)

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