Deputy Chief Minister and senior leader of the National Congress Party (NCP) Ajit Pawar, 66, was killed when a chartered plane crashed in the western Indian state of Maharashtra, state media reported. The accident occurred in Baramati district on Wednesday morning.
According to media reports, Ajit Pawar was travelling from Mumbai to Baramati to attend several public meetings on the occasion of the Zilla Parishad elections. The plane exploded while landing. It is believed that everyone on board, including the two pilots and three bodyguards, was killed.
A video circulating on social media after the crash showed the plane completely destroyed. Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.
It is worth noting that Ajit Pawar was playing an important role in the leadership of the NCP as the nephew of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Sharad Pawar and his political successor.