Global & US Headlines
Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar Dies in Baramati Plane Crash, State Declares 3-Day Mourning
On 28 Jan 2026 a Learjet 45 carrying Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed while attempting an emergency landing outside Baramati, instantly removing a six-time deputy CM from Maharashtra’s power structure and setting off a statewide shutdown and federal probe.
Focusing Facts
- The Learjet 45 (VT-SSK) went down at roughly 08:48 a.m. on 28 Jan 2026, killing all five aboard: Ajit Pawar, PSO Vidip Jadhav, attendant Pinky Mali, PIC Sumit Kapur and SIC Shambhavi Pathak.
- Maharashtra ordered three days of state mourning and closed government offices on 28 Jan, with Pawar’s cremation slated for 29 Jan 2026 at 11 a.m. with full state honours.
- The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau took charge of the crash inquiry the same day, dispatching teams to recover black-box data and audit the aircraft’s maintenance history.
Context
India has lost senior leaders to aviation mishaps before—Madhavrao Scindia’s fatal Cessna crash on 30 Sep 2001 and Andhra CM Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s helicopter crash on 2 Sep 2009 both triggered power realignments. Pawar’s death fits that pattern, underscoring a chronic weak spot: regional heavyweights rely on lightly regulated charter fleets to race between rallies, yet DGCA oversight and parts supply chains lag behind the political tempo. Long-term, his exit threatens to splinter the Pawar family’s cooperative-bank network and the already‐fractured non-BJP space in western India, potentially tilting 2027 national calculations. Tributes laud an “irreplaceable” grassroots tactician, but history shows machines outlive men; within a century, this moment may be recalled less for personal tragedy than for how Maharashtra’s political economy adapted—or failed to—to the sudden removal of a dynastic node in its patronage web.
Perspectives
National political mainstream media
e.g., India TV News, Social News XYZ — They frame Ajit Pawar’s death as a grievous national loss, stressing his decades-long service, administrative acumen and the bipartisan outpouring of condolences from Prime Minister Modi down to opposition leaders. By concentrating on tributes and unity, these outlets gloss over Pawar’s controversies or factional feuds, reinforcing a reverential narrative that flatters both the ruling and opposition political class.
Regional outlets prioritising the crash investigation
e.g., Telangana Today — Coverage centres on the AAIB/DGCA probe, black-box analysis and eyewitness details, casting the crash primarily as a technical failure that demands a rigorous safety inquiry. Focusing on procedural updates allows the stories to sidestep political accountability for aviation oversight, presenting officials as proactively in control rather than potentially negligent.
Feature & sports-oriented local press
e.g., Free Press Journal, Rediff.com — They celebrate Pawar’s humorous public persona and off-beat contributions—from witty one-liners to supporting Mumbai cricket—painting a relatable, jovial image of the late leader. This soft-feature framing sentimentalises the tragedy, spotlighting feel-good anecdotes while downplaying policy missteps or the broader political stakes involved in his demise.