India: Deputy state leader among 5 killed in plane crash

Ajit Pawar, the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, was on board a private plane that crashed in western India. There were no survivors from the crash.

A private plane that was carrying the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra crashed on Wednesday in a field in western India, aviation authorities said, killing all five people on board.

The plane was traveling from Mumbai, India's financial capital, to Ajit Pawar's hometown of Baramati.

It crashed in an open field en route and burst into flames. Images from the scene showed smoke rising from the burning wreckage of the aircraft.

It was not immediately clear what caused the crash. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said it is investigating the incident.

Two members of Pawar's staff and two crew members who were on board the privately-operated, mid-size Learjet 45 were also killed in the crash, according to a statement by DGCA.

Who was Ajit Pawar?

Pawar, 66, was the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra state in western India, the country's wealthiest, which is home to Mumbai.

He hailed from one of Maharashtra's most powerful political dynasties that has influenced the state's politics for generations, according to Indian media reports.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has paid tribute to Pawar, calling him a "leader of the people" in a post on X after the fatal crash.

"His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening," the prime minister said.

"He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra," Modi said, adding that Pawar's "understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy."

Edited by: Kieran Burke