Emergency services rushed to the site of a reported plane crash near Baramati shortly after 9 am. Initial inputs indicate five people were on board, including senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar. All five are feared dead.
BY PC Bureau
Senior NCP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is feared dead following a reported plane crash near Baramati in Maharashtra on Tuesday morning, according to initial inputs. Authorities have not yet issued an official confirmation.
The small aircraft, which reportedly departed from Mumbai around 8 am, is said to have crashed near Baramati airport while attempting to land about an hour later. Preliminary reports suggest that five people were on board, including pilots and security personnel.
First video from Baramati in Maharashtra where plane of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar crashed this morning. More details are awaited from local authorities. pic.twitter.com/W0LkVYGrhR
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) January 28, 2026
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The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said it is gathering details and will issue a formal statement after verification.
The video footage from the tragic plane crash shows harrowing scenes of the aftermath. Circulating clips capture the Learjet 45 aircraft severely fragmented and engulfed in flames shortly after the failed emergency landing around 8:45–9:00 a.m. IST.Key details from the available visuals:
- Thick black smoke billows heavily from the wreckage, with visible orange flames licking the debris.
- The plane appears broken into multiple large pieces scattered across a field or near the runway edge, consistent with a high-impact crash landing gone wrong.
- Emergency responders, police, and locals are seen gathering at the site amid the smoke, with some footage showing the mangled fuselage and scattered parts.
- One widely referenced clip depicts the immediate post-crash scene: smoke rising intensely, fire burning, and the aircraft’s remains strewn about, underscoring the severity that led to fatalities.
Ajit Pawar, 66, was scheduled to attend multiple public meetings in Baramati ahead of upcoming local body elections. He is the nephew of veteran politician and NCP founder Sharad Pawar, and cousin of Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule. Both leaders, currently in Delhi for the ongoing Parliament session, are expected to return to Maharashtra.
More details are awaited.
