Ajit Pawar dies in Baramati plane crash; Opposition raises sabotage claims, investigators open probe

Mumbai, Jan 28: Ajit Pawar, 66, the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra and a towering figure in the state’s politics, was killed on Wednesday when the chartered Learjet 45 he was travelling in crashed near Baramati airport during a landing attempt. Four other people on board — two crew members and two members of Pawar’s party staff — also died. The accident has stunned Maharashtra and provoked demands from opposition leaders for a high-level probe amid suggestions by some that the crash could amount to sabotage.

According to preliminary accounts compiled by civil authorities, the Learjet 45 (a business jet) was operating a charter flight from Mumbai to Baramati on the morning of January 28, 2026. The aircraft attempted a second approach to Baramati’s runway in poor visibility and crashed roughly at 08:45 local time; witnesses described the plane as unstable in the air and reported it burst into flames on impact. Emergency teams reached the site but found no survivors.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the aircraft was attempting a visual landing in dense fog and that investigators had been dispatched; the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is expected to lead a formal technical enquiry into the chain of events that led to the crash. Authorities have cautioned that the cause will only be known after detailed on-site inspection, recovery of cockpit voice and flight data recorders (if retrievable), and technical analysis.

Ajit Pawar, a six-time deputy chief minister and a central figure in Maharashtra’s cooperative and political networks, was the best known among the five people killed. Media reports named two other passengers as members of his personal staff; the other two victims were the aircraft’s crew. Funeral arrangements were being finalised and leaders from across the political spectrum had begun to arrive in Baramati, where Pawar’s family is based.

Ajit Pawar’s career spanned decades of Maharashtra politics, during which he handled key portfolios and built a strong base in the state’s sugar belt. In 2019 he led a split in the Nationalist Congress Party and later led a faction aligned with the BJP-led government in the state. His death leaves a sudden leadership vacuum in the region and in his party’s organisational structure.

Local witnesses and CCTV footage circulated on social platforms showed the aircraft on final approach before it veered off and exploded on or near the runway threshold. Several news outlets reported that the jet issued distress signals before the crash and that the airstrip at Baramati — which lacks an Instrument Landing System (ILS) — demanded a visual approach, a challenge compounded by dense fog and low visibility at the time. DGCA sources cited by Indian Express and other outlets noted the aircraft appeared to be performing an aborted or circling approach before the second attempt.

Within hours of the crash, prominent opposition figures called for an independent and rigorous investigation. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee publicly demanded a probe under Supreme Court supervision, saying only a top-level inquiry could establish the truth and voicing distrust of available institutions. Some state Congress leaders expressed fears that sabotage or foul play could not be ruled out without a thorough investigation. Moneycontrol and other outlets quoted opposition leaders urging immediate, transparent action to determine whether anything more than an accident occurred.

Importantly while political leaders and activists have called for exhaustive scrutiny and some have used language suggesting suspicion of deliberate interference, government sources and aviation authorities have said there is no verified evidence of sabotage so far. Investigators have emphasised that preliminary signals point to adverse weather and a difficult visual approach as proximate factors, and cautioned against premature conclusions until technical data (including recorder analysis) are examined.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other national leaders expressed shock and paid tribute to Pawar’s public service. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the loss as “unbelievable” and said state administration would cooperate fully with investigators. Leaders from several parties — including those in Pawar’s extended political family — visited the bereaved family in Baramati as the state moved into a period of official mourning.

Aviation accident probes typically examine multiple strands: aircraft maintenance records and airworthiness, operator history, pilot training and flight duty records, ATC (air traffic control) communications and radar tracks, weather and runway conditions, possible fuel or mechanical anomalies, and post-impact fire dynamics. The AAIB and DGCA will also try to retrieve and analyse cockpit voice and flight data recorders, interview witnesses and survivors (none in this case), and inspect the wreckage for mechanical or external evidence. Any claims of sabotage would trigger involvement by police and, depending on forensic findings, specialised security agencies.