A leading Indian politician and three other people were killed after a plane on which they were travelling crashed during emergency landing in Maharashtra state on Wednesday morning. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and three others were killed after an aircraft carrying them crashed in Pune district early Wednesday, officials said.

The incident occurred when Chief Minister and NCP leader Pawar’s plane was landing in Pune’s Baramati area, they said.  Two pilots and Ajit's security personnel also died in the crash, which happened as the chartered aircraft was attempting an emergency landing at Baramati airport. Visuals from the site show the wreckage of the plane engulfed in flames.

There were people at the wreckage site trying to extend help in every possible way. The locals had rushed to the spot on seeing the helicopter crash-land. Rescue and relief operations were underway at the site. Locals also helped the police and the relief officials in assisting the injured to the ambulances. This incident comes after several aviation-related scares for the leader. 

In October 2024, a helicopter intended to pick up his party colleague Sunil Tatkare crashed in Pune, and there have been previous instances of emergency landings in the region due to bad weather. Pawar was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati to attend a campaign rally for the Zilla Parishad elections. 

According to ANI, the incident occurred at around 8.45 am (Indian time) when the Mumbai–Baramati charter plane carrying Ajit Pawar and others made a crash landing near the runway threshold at Baramati airport. The first footage from Baramati, Maharashtra, shows the site where Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s aircraft crashed earlier today.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)