Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar died in a charter plane crash in Baramati that killed four others. Leaders including Supriya Sule and CM Fadnavis paid respects. The state has announced a holiday and three days of mourning for the NCP leader.
Nationalist Congress Party (SP) MP Supriya Sule on Wednesday arrived at Vidya Pratishthan in Baramati to pay her respects to her late cousin brother Ajit Pawar, who was killed in the Baramati plane crash this morning.
Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash while travelling from Mumbai to Baramati earlier today. Additionally, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde were present at Vidya Pratishthan in Baramati to pay their respects to the late NCP leader.
Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat was also present to pay his respects.
Sunetra Pawar broke down while meeting members of the Pawar family after the untimely demise of her husband in a charter plane crash that claimed four more lives.
Investigation into the Crash
Meanwhile, as part of the investigation into the crash, Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) officials were present at the office of VSR Ventures Private Limited, which operates the ill-fated charter plane. The AAIB team was seen placing boxes of documents into vehicles.
Ajit Pawar, 66, died this morning after the aircraft carrying him crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Pune district. The plane crash-landed near the runway threshold, killing all five people on board the chartered plane. Among the deceased were his personal security officer, a flight attendant and two pilots.
The 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 site of the mishap to investigate.
Pawar was on his way to Baramati from Mumbai to campaign for the Zilla Panchayat elections.
Last Rites and State Mourning
Ajit Pawar's last rites will be performed with full state honours, the Maharashtra General Administration Department (Protocol) said.
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.
State Holiday Announced
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minsiter 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.
A Look at Ajit Pawar's Career
Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.
He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar and two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar. (ANI)
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