Ajit Pawar Death LIVE Updates: Sharad Pawar Rejects Conspiracy Claims, Says It Was an Accident

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Meera Pathak said she was taken aback when she received a “good morning” message, as Shambhavi was not someone who texted regularly.

She said that around 11 am, her younger son called to tell her that Shambhavi was among those on board the aircraft that had crashed and that Ajit Pawar had died.

Later, Shambhavi’s father and Meera Pathak’s elder son called to inform the family that they were on their way to Pune to bring her body home.

VSR Ventures owner V K Singh says poor visibility forced the pilot to attempt a missed approach before the Learjet 45 carrying Ajit Pawar crashed in Baramati, killing all five onboard.

Ajit Pawar's uncle and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar rules out conspiracy in the Maharashtra deputy CM's untimely demise.

"This is a huge loss for Maharashtra. Maharashtra has lost a dynamic and decisive leader. Some people are saying there is some politics behind this, but it was an accident, and there is no politics involved. Politics should not be brought into this," he said.

The tragic Baramati plane crash claimed the lives of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others. Flight attendant Pinky Mali’s final call to her father moments before take-off has revealed the deep personal loss behind the tragedy.

Ajit Pawar once shared a humorous story of a nerve-wracking helicopter ride with Devendra Fadnavis and Uday Samant, reflecting his wit even amid fear, resurfacing after his tragic plane crash.

On an urgent request from the Government of Maharashtra, the Indian Air Force swiftly deployed a team of Air Traffic Control personnel along with essential technical equipment from Air Force Station Lohegaon to Baramati Airport. The team promptly established emergency Air Traffic Control services, including communication and other emergency facilities in coordination with local administration, to support safe and efficient air traffic management: Defence officials

A photograph believed to be Ajit Pawar’s last image before his fatal Baramati plane crash has surfaced and gone viral. Taken minutes before take-off from Mumbai, the photo shows him with his security staff. The crash killed five people.

According to reports, Ajit Pawar's body was identified by his wristwatch. Ironically, NCP's official election symbol is a clock.

The last rites of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, killed in a private plane crash, will be held with full state honours on Thursday in Baramati, Pune district.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah are expected to attend the funeral, which will be held at Vidya Pratishthan ground at 11 AM. Leaders cutting across the political spectrum will be present, the Nationalist Congress Party said.

Sachin Tendulkar expressed grief over Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s death in a Baramati plane crash, calling him a dedicated leader and offering condolences to his family and friends.

Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, died in a plane crash in Baramati, the constituency that shaped his political journey. The Pawar stronghold witnessed the full circle of his decades-long political career and legacy.

PM Modi condoled the death of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and others in a plane crash, saying the tragedy has snatched away a leader who worked tirelessly for Maharashtra’s development.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu has assured a transparent probe, citing poor visibility as a preliminary cause. Five people, including crew, died in the crash.

Ajit Pawar’s sudden death has plunged the NCP into uncertainty, sparking leadership questions, merger buzz with Sharad Pawar’s faction, and fresh tensions within Maharashtra’s ruling Mahayuti.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday afternoon declared a one-day holiday for its offices following the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash at Baramati.

The civic body said only employees engaged in emergency services would report for duty.

The Maharashtra government has already announced a holiday on January 28 and declared three days of state mourning. Ajit Pawar (66) and four others were killed when the chartered aircraft carrying them crashed on Wednesday morning.

The funeral of Maharashtra deputy chief minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar will be held in Baramati tomorrow. Meanwhile, PM Narendra Modi spoke to NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar to express his condolences over the passing of Ajit Pawar.

The pilots of the aircraft that crashed at Baramati, killing Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, had difficulty sighting the runway while attempting to land, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said. Unable to see the runway during the first approach, the crew carried out a go-around before attempting a second landing. No Mayday call was issued.

The Learjet 45 business jet, operated by Delhi-based VSR Ventures Pvt. Ltd, crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airfield at around 8.44 am, killing all five people on board, including Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. The aircraft, registered VT-SSK, was operating a Mumbai–Baramati flight and had two crew members and three passengers on board. All occupants suffered fatal injuries, the DGCA said.

Condolences pour in for Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar following his tragic death in a plane crash. Political leaders across party lines mourned his demise, calling it a great loss for Maharashtra and the entire nation.

Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu says," We will conduct an investigation in a transparent and accountable manner. Preliminary information indicates that visibility was poor at the site at the time of landing around 8:48 am. Before landing, ATC asked the pilot whether the runway was in sight, and he confirmed it was not. After a go-around, the aircraft returned to land, and the pilot was again asked if the runway was visible for landing. Then, the pilot confirmed visibility of the runway. After ATC cleared landing, it was seen that the accident had occurred."

Pilot-in-command Sumit Kapoor was a highly experienced aviator with over 16,500 hours of flying experience. He was regarded as a seasoned professional in business jet operations.

Meanwhile, Co-pilot Shambhavi Pathak had a strong academic and technical background in aviation. Pathak was serving as the First Officer at the VSR Ventures, a Delhi-based non-scheduled air transport operator of the Learjet 45, a small aircraft involved in the accident.

The last rites of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar will be performed with full state honours, the Maharashtra General Administration Department (Protocol) informs.

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, 2026.

The five people on the ill-fated charter plane were Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, Vidip Jadhav, Pinki Mali, Sumit Kapoor, and Sambhavi Pathak. All five died in the crash landing in Baramati.

Pilot did not issue any emergency signal or ‘Mayday’ call during landing, say reports.

Ajit Pawar's sudden tragic death has left a void in Maharashtra politics. His absence might unsettle the ruling Mahayuti and throw the future of a divided NCP into doubt. It raises questions over leadership and succession in the NCP camp.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others died in a tragic plane crash during landing at Baramati Airport on January 28, 2026, in a flight from Mumbai. According to sources familiar with the matter, the captain spoke with Air Traffic Control (ATC) about the runway being visible before the aircraft went down in flames near the runway, and no distress call (SOS) was issued during the final moments.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hinted at a possible conspiracy behind Ajit Pawar’s death and called for a Supreme Court-monitored investigation, suggesting he was distancing himself from the Mahayuti alliance.

On the passing away of his colleague Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra Dy CM Eknath Shinde says," It is an unfortunate day for Maharashtra. This is a painful incident for the state. 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.."

In a formal announcement, Maharashtra Chief Minister Fadnavis declared a three-day period of state mourning to honour Ajit Pawar’s service to the state. He also stated that the day has been declared a state holiday as a mark of respect.

On Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s demise, Maharashtra Minister Sanjay Shirsat says, "... We still cannot believe that Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar is no longer with us. We met him yesterday at the cabinet meeting... He was known as 'Dada' in Maharashtra politics because of his great personality. He was a fearless leader who would clearly express his thoughts in public. Party workers and the people of Maharashtra are in immense grief and pain at his sudden demise..."

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday termed the death of his fellow Deputy CM Ajit Pawar as “sad and unfortunate” and said the aircraft crash that claimed his life would be investigated.

Speaking to reporters, Shinde praised Pawar’s contributions, noting that he had served alongside him in multiple cabinets and had also been his deputy during Shinde’s tenure as chief minister from 2022 to 2024.

"It is a very painful incident...very sad and unfortunate for Maharashtra. The aircraft accident will be probed," he said.

"This loss is not just of the Pawar family but of the entire state. I am feeling as if I have lost my elder brother," Shinde added.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar was killed after a chartered aircraft crashed during an emergency landing at Baramati airport on Wednesday morning. The aircraft, a Learjet 45, was owned and operated by VSR Ventures.

According to flight tracking website Flightradar24, the aircraft was attempting a second approach to Baramati Airport when it crashed.