Ajit Pawar, deputy chief minister of India’s Maharashtra state, was killed Wednesday when his chartered aircraft crashed in an open field during a landing attempt, officials confirmed.
The 66-year-old political leader died alongside four others when the Bombardier Learjet 45 went down at approximately 8:44 a.m. local time (0314 GMT) near Baramati airport in western Maharashtra, according to the civil aviation ministry.
Also killed in the crash were Pawar’s personal security officer, an assistant, and two crew members operating the aircraft for private firm VSR Aviation, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation reported.
Pawar was a prominent figure in Maharashtra politics, the state that houses India’s financial capital, Mumbai.
VSR Aviation owner V.K. Singh insisted the aircraft had been properly maintained and dismissed the possibility of mechanical problems.
“There was absolutely no problem in the aircraft. There was no technical failure as far as we know,” Singh told reporters at the company’s New Delhi headquarters.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Pawar on social media platform X, describing the news as “shocking and saddening.”
“A leader of the people,” Modi wrote, praising Pawar as “widely respected” and “hardworking.” The prime minister also highlighted Pawar’s “understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden.”
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