Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar Among Five Dead in India Plane Crash

Mumbai —  Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed Wednesday morning when the aircraft he was traveling in crashed while landing at Baramati Airport in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, officials and Indian media reported.

The chartered plane went down during its approach, and all five people on board — including Mr. Pawar, two of his aides and two crew members — were confirmed dead, according to local reports.

Anil Dhikle, Mr. Pawar’s personal assistant, spoke to the BBC and confirmed the accident, saying the aircraft skidded off the runway and caught fire.

Mr. Pawar, 66, a prominent figure in Maharashtra politics and long active in the state’s planning and development processes, was en route to address a series of public meetings in preparation for upcoming local elections when the crash occurred.

The incident has sent shock waves through the state’s political landscape, where Mr. Pawar was widely regarded as an influential leader.