Aijit Pawar, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and National Congress Party (NCP) chief, died in a plane crash along with four others. The incident occurred when Ajit Pawar took his last flight from Mumbai to Baramati to attend scheduled rallies for the upcoming Zilla Parishad elections 2026.
The 8th Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra boarded a Learjet 45 aircraft with four others on Wednesday morning, January 28, when his plane crash landed in Baramati airstrip, a few minutes before landing, according to the FlightRadar data. The aircraft bearing the number “VTSSKLJ45” was operated by VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd.
Who Was on Board With Ajit Pawar?
Along with 66-year-old NCP leader Ajit Pawar, one flight attendant, two pilots and one Personal Security Officer (PSO) were on the board at the time of the crash, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
All of them who died in the fatal crash were identified as Vidip Jadhav (PSO), Pinki Mali and Sumit Kapoor. The crew included Captain Sahil Madan, the Pilot-in-Command (PIC) and the First Officer (FO).
Also Read | Baramati Bandh: Shops Shut, Markets Closed as Pune's City Mourns Ajit Pawar’s Demise.
Who Was PSO Vidip Jadhav?
Mumbai Police constable Vidip Jadhav, from the 2009 batch, died in a plane crash while performing his duty as Personnel Security Officer (PSO) to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. He was travelling with Ajit Pawar, who was on his way to attend meetings during the 2026 Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections.
Learjet 45 aircraft had departed from GA Terminal at 8.10 am when it crash-landed near the approach end of runway 11. Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash as the nation mourns the loss of the senior leader. Following the incident, Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar and his sister Supriya Sule are reportedly heading towards the crash site.