Chicago – January 28, 2026
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, a prominent Indian politician aged 66, died in a chartered plane crash near Baramati Airport on January 28, 2026, along with four others. The Learjet 45, operated by VSR Ventures, was en route from Mumbai to Baramati—Pawar’s political stronghold—for local election campaigning when it crashed during a landing attempt around 8:45 AM local time.
The aircraft veered off the runway, burst into flames, and was destroyed, killing Pawar, two staff members (including a personal security officer and attendant), and two crew members. Eyewitnesses reported intense fire and explosions preventing rescues, with CCTV footage showing the plane tilting and erupting in a fireball.
Poor visibility is cited preliminarily, but the cause remains under investigation by India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Pawar, a key Nationalist Congress Party leader allied with the BJP, leaves a vacuum in Maharashtra politics, known for his influence in the sugar industry and rural voter base.
