Saw Headless Body Fully Burned and Swollen: Local Resident Recall Horrific Scene After Ajit Pawar's Plane Crash In Baramati

A local resident living near the Baramati airstrip has described chilling moments after the aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crash landed just short of the runway. The resident said the plane initially appeared to overshoot the airstrip before turning back to attempt a landing.“We live here and behind us there is an airstrip. We saw that a plane came but did not land. It went further and then turned back and started landing,” the eyewitness said. “It crash landed just before the runway.”Realising the gravity of the situation, locals immediately alerted authorities and people known to them around the airstrip. Police and emergency teams reached the site within minutes.

Baramati, Maharashtra | A local resident says, "We live here and behind us there is an airstrip where we saw that a plane came and it did not land. It went further, but then it turned back in sometime and started landing. But then it crash landed just before the runway. As soon… pic.twitter.com/Gb1NvdjNst

— ANI (@ANI) January 28, 2026

The resident said the aircraft burst into flames soon after impact, making rescue efforts extremely difficult. Firefighters struggled to control the blaze, which took nearly fifteen minutes to extinguish. “When the fire was finally put out and we went closer, we saw a headless body lying there,” the resident said. “It was completely burned and swollen. We could not recognise it at first.”The identity of the body was later confirmed as Ajit Pawar through personal belongings found on the remains.  According to reports, it was Pawar wristwatch which helped cops identify his body. The watch was a constant companion of Pawar, who was a stickler for punctuality.

"Our team inspected all the bodies recovered from the crash site and identified the deputy chief minister's body by studying his wristwatch," Sandeep Singh Gill, superintendent of police, Pune Rural told TOI. Apart from the NCP leader's watch, which the cops were familiar with, it was his special seat which Pawar usually occupied while flying in such aircraft, which made the identified task easier. "After studying the position of the body where it was found after the crash, our team confirmed that it was Ajit Pawar's body. We have taken samples of his body for DNA test," he added.

Two cockpit crew in the plane that crashed in Maharashtra's Baramati were heard saying "oh s***" moments before the accident. Pawar had taken off from Mumbai early on Wednesday morning to address four rallies in the day in Pune district for the February 5 local body elections. The NCP leader's last rites will be held with full state honours on Thursday in Baramati.Police have registered an accidental death report (ADR) case in connection with the plane crash. "We have registered an accidental death report (ADR) with the Baramati taluka police station," a senior police officer from the Pune rural police confirmed. The aircraft went down in an open field near Baramati airport during its landing attempt. Videos circulating on social media show the aircraft badly damaged and engulfed in flames as emergency responders rushed to the spot.