Last rites underway amid chants praising Ajit Pawar
Baramati woke up to silence on Wednesday.
The town, known for its political energy, slipped into deep mourning after Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash. The tragedy shocked Maharashtra and stunned the nation.
By early afternoon, the grief became visible.
Around 2 pm, the Pune–Solapur highway stood deserted. Shops stayed shut. Eateries pulled down shutters. Traffic vanished. At Urulikanchan, a large black-and-white billboard with Ajit Pawar’s photograph reflected the collective sorrow.
Soon after, roads leading to Baramati appeared unusually empty.
Freshly painted stretches lined with pink bougainvillea looked untouched. Even the toll gate stood open but unmanned. Every vehicle moved in one direction. People headed towards Vidya Pratishthan college grounds to pay their final respects.
Meanwhile, Baramati turned into a virtual ghost town.
Families, party workers, farmers, and students poured into the grounds. They came to bid farewell to “Ajit Dada.” Many called him a brother. Others remembered him as a mentor. For Baramati, he remained the son of the soil.
The crowd swelled into hundreds of thousands.
The sprawling campus struggled to hold the mourners. JCB machines arranged cement blocks to prepare the funeral platform. On the stage, white awnings waited for a large portrait. Flowers and garlands kept arriving.
Emotions ran high across the venue.
Former Pimpri-Chinchwad mayor Mangala Kadam broke down while speaking. She said her leader was gone. She said nothing felt left for Maharashtra. Many around her echoed the same feeling.
Ahead of the last rites, leaders arrived in Baramati.
NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar reached Katewadi, Ajit Pawar’s residence. MNS leader Raj Thackeray also arrived. Party workers gathered in large numbers. Security teams tightened arrangements across the town.
At the same time, investigators moved to the crash site.
Teams from the DGCA and forensic departments began their probe. They focused on the aircraft, the airstrip, and flight conditions. Authorities raised concerns about the flight operator and infrastructure.
Ajit Pawar died in the crash along with four others.
The victims included captain Sumit Kapoor, first officer Shambavi Pathak, flight attendant Pinky Mali, and personal security officer Vidhit Jadhav. The group travelled in a Learjet 45.
The aircraft took off from Mumbai at 8.10 am.
Ajit Pawar planned to address rallies for upcoming rural body elections in Baramati. Thirteen minutes later, the jet began its descent. However, the pilot aborted the first landing due to runway visibility issues.
After circling back, the crew attempted a second landing at 8.43 am.
Within a minute, air traffic control noticed flames near the runway. The aircraft veered off course and crashed.
Union civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu initially cited visibility concerns.
Later, the ministry stated that conditions remained calm with visibility of 3,000 metres. The investigation continues.
Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar appealed for restraint.
He urged people not to politicise his nephew’s death. He described the incident as an accident and asked leaders to maintain dignity.
Ajit Pawar leaves behind a towering political legacy.
Born on July 22, 1959, he entered politics in 1982. He served as Baramati MLA for eight terms. He became deputy chief minister six times under different chief ministers.
Today, Maharashtra bids him farewell with full state honours.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and leaders across parties will attend the funeral at 11 am. Baramati, however, already feels orphaned.
