January 28, 2026
Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar passed away in a plane crash as he was traveling from Mumbai to Baramati to address public meetings ahead of local elections. The plane crashed while attempting to land at the Baramati airport. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation confirmed that all five passengers of the Learjet 45 plane, including two members of Deputy CM Pawar’s security team and two crew members, were killed. Authorities have begun an investigation into the cause of the crash. The Maharashtra government has announced a three-day mourning in light of the incident.