Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) chief Prakash Ambedkar on Wednesday demanded an investigation into the plane crash in Pune's Baramati in which Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was killed.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Ambedkar wrote, "Deeply shocked by the suddden demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP President Ajit Pawar! Whether you liked it or not, Ajit had his own style of political work. My sincere condolences to his wife, family, friends and followers. The plane crash incident, which took his life and that of another 5 individuals, needs a proper investigation."
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), five people, including the crew, on board the chartered plane flying from Mumbai to Baramati, died after a crash-landing at 8.45 am this morning.
Those onboard the plane, including Pawar, were Head Constable Vidip Jadhav, Flight Attendant Pinky Mali, Pilot-in-Command Capt. Sumit Kapur and Second-in-Command Capt. Shambhavi Pathak. They have also lost their lives in the crash.
The aircraft involved in the accident was a Learjet 45 belonging to Delhi-based charter company, VSR.
Pawar was headed to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad Elections. Pawar was in Mumbai on Tuesday, where he attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other officials were also present.
