The sudden death of Maharashtra deputy CM Ajit Pawar in tragic plane crash at Baramati airport has left a void in Maharashtra politics. The chartered aircraft, that was carrying the NCP leader, was airborne for over 30 minutes before it crashed killing all five onboard.
The aircraft was completely gutted after it caught fire due to the crash which occurred while the pilots were attempting to land in Baramati. The crash was so severe the aircraft was reduced to ashes making it extremely difficult to identify the bodies of the occupants.
According to reports, it was Pawar wristwatch which helped cops identify his body. The watch was a constant companion of Pawar, who was a stickler for punctuality.
"Our team inspected all the bodies recovered from the crash site and identified the deputy chief minister's body by studying his wristwatch," Sandeep Singh Gill, superintendent of police, Pune Rural told TOI.
Apart from the NCP leader's watch, which the cops were familiar with, it was his special seat which Pawar usually occupied while flying in such aircraft, which made the identified task easier.
"After studying the position of the body where it was found after the crash, our team confirmed that it was Ajit Pawar's body. We have taken samples of his body for DNA test," he added.
A video that went viral yesterday after the crash also showed a person pointing at the wristwatch of a charred body, claiming the deceased person is Ajit Pawar.
The passengers of the 16-year-old aircraft, operated by VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, included Ajit Pawar along with two personnel, one PSO and one attendant. The flight also had two crew members: the Pilot-in-Command (PIC) and the First Officer (FO).
Pawar had taken off from Mumbai early on Wednesday morning to address four rallies in the day in Pune district for the February 5 local body elections. The NCP leader's last rites will be held with full state honours on Thursday in Baramati.
Police have registered an accidental death report (ADR) case in connection with the plane crash. "We have registered an accidental death report (ADR) with the Baramati taluka police station," a senior police officer from the Pune rural police confirmed.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
Find the best of Al News in one place, specially curated for you every weekend.
Stay on top of the latest tech trends and biggest startup news.
