DGCA, forensic teams reach Baramati crash site to probe Ajit Pawar plane accident

The Pune Rural Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) at the Baramati Taluka Police Station in connection with the crash and have initiated further investigation.

"Pune Rural Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) at Baramati Taluka Police Station in connection with the air crash in which Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar lost his life. Further investigation initiated," a police official from Pune police said.

Union Minister Raksha Khadse termed the incident heart-rending and said Maharashtra would not see another leader like Ajit Pawar.

"The accident yesterday is heart-rending. Nobody had thought that something like that would happen. We were all sad to hear the news yesterday. I think Maharashtra will not have any other leader like Ajit Dada. He worked in the interiors. He was a good leader who played a big role in Maharashtra's development," Raksha Khadse told reporters.

Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray arrived in Baramati to attend Ajit Pawar's funeral.

Funeral preparations are underway at the Vidya Pratishthan ground in Baramati for the Nationalist Congress leader who lost his life in a plane crash on January 28.

Supporters of NCP chief and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar gathered outside Ahilyabai Holkar Government Medical College to pay their final respects as his mortal remains were taken out.

The funeral procession for Maharashtra's longest-serving Deputy CM (non-consecutively) will start from the Vidya Pratishthan campus (Gadima) at 9 AM, pass through the city for people to pay their respects to Pawar, and culminate at the Vidya Pratishthan Ground for the funeral, scheduled for 11 AM.

The mortal remains of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will be carried in a decorated rath for his 'Antim Yatra' today. The chariot is adorned with flowers and features Pawar's image and a board reading "Swargiya Ajitdada Pawar amar rahein" (Long live Ajit Dada Pawar).

Ajit 'Dada' Pawar died on Wednesday in a plane crash at Baramati airport, leaving behind a long career of ups and downs in politics. He was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad Elections.

Ajit Pawar was born on 22nd July 1959 in Deolali Pravara, Rahuri taluka, Ahmednagar district.

Fondly called "Ajit Dada", he was known for his tireless efforts for the people of Maharashtra and his ability to stay connected to them and his roots.

In addition to making significant contributions to government administration, Pawar oversaw the management of various cooperative organisations, including Milk Unions and Federations and sugar factories.

Ajit Dada's leadership journey began and continued across institutions such as milk unions, cooperative societies, sugar factories, and banks, and took a new direction in 1991 when he was elected to the Lok Sabha. He would later vacate the Baramati seat for his uncle Sharad Pawar. Since then, he has held many more positions, including MLA, Minister of State for various critical government departments, and Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra non-consecutively. He served in the position for six terms within various governments. He had worked as deputy chief minister in the cabinets of Prithviraj Chavan, Devendra Fadnavis, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

In November 2019, he engineered a split in the NCP, joined a government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, and became the Deputy Chief Minister. In February 2024, the Election Commission awarded the party name and symbol to the faction headed by Ajit Pawar.

Despite this, Ajit Pawar was known to be very close to his uncle, Sharad Pawar, under whose guidance he began his political career. In the recently held Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Elections, the two rival factions of the NCP formed an alliance and presented a united development agenda for Pune.

Ajit Pawar was famed for his straightforward approach and frankness. He is survived by his wife, Sunetra Pawar and two sons, Jay and Parth Pawar. (ANI)