The death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash has created uncertainty within the Nationalist Congress Party. Attention has now shifted to his wife, Sunetra Pawar, a Rajya Sabha MP. Though she stayed away from frontline politics for years, she entered active politics in 2024 and later joined the Upper House. Sunetra Pawar has strong political and social links in Baramati and Marathwada. She also heads educational, business, and environmental initiatives. Party leaders say sympathy and her family standing may place her at the centre of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction, even as questions remain over future leadership and unity. (PC: India Today)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned a Russian drone strike on a passenger train in the Kharkiv region, calling it “terrorism”. Local officials said at least five people were killed and several others injured. More than 200 passengers were on board when one carriage was hit and two nearby drones exploded. Zelensky said there was no military reason to target civilians. Russia has not commented on the incident. Authorities said the train was travelling from western Ukraine to the Kharkiv region. The attack came amid intensified Russian drone strikes on transport and energy sites. Elsewhere, drone attacks killed civilians in Odesa and near Kyiv, officials said. (PC: BBC)

A Learjet 45 carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed near Baramati airport on Wednesday, killing all five on board. The Civil Aviation Ministry said the aircraft was attempting a second landing at the time of the crash. Baramati is an uncontrolled airfield, where pilots manage traffic with limited ground support. The pilot was cleared to land at 8.34 am but did not provide a mandatory readback confirming the clearance. Earlier, the first landing attempt was aborted due to the runway not being visible, prompting a go-around. Flight tracking data showed the aircraft stopped transmitting signals minutes before impact. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is probing the incident. (PC: NDTV)

The fatal plane crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has brought renewed attention to charter operator VSR Aviation, which was linked to a similar Learjet incident in 2023. The Learjet 45XR that crashed near Baramati on Wednesday was operated by VSR Ventures, a Delhi-based firm. In September 2023, another VSR-operated Learjet 45XR veered off a runway while landing in Mumbai during heavy rain and broke into two. All passengers survived that incident. Aviation regulators have launched probes into the Baramati crash. Officials are examining operational, weather, and safety records linked to both incidents as part of the ongoing investigation.

CCTV footage from near Baramati airport has captured the final moments of the plane crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday. The visuals show the Learjet aircraft descending sharply before hitting the ground nose-first and erupting into flames within seconds. Thick black smoke and fire are seen rising from the crash site soon after impact. Officials said all five people on board died as the aircraft caught fire immediately after the failed landing attempt. Preliminary information suggests the jet was trying to land for the second time. Investigators are examining the footage to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the crash.

Pilot Shambhavi Pathak was among five people killed when a private aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar crashed near Baramati on Wednesday. Pathak was serving as first officer on the Learjet 45 operated by VSR Ventures and was flying from Mumbai to Baramati. The aircraft went down minutes before its scheduled landing. Pathak had been associated with VSR Ventures since 2022 and held multiple aviation licences, including a commercial pilot licence from India and New Zealand. She had also worked as a flying instructor. The crash killed all five on board, including Pawar, another pilot, a flight attendant, and a security officer. Investigations are ongoing. (PC: X)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday hinted at possible foul play in the plane crash that killed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and demanded a Supreme Court-monitored investigation. Speaking to the media, Banerjee said the incident raised serious questions about the safety of political leaders. She said only a probe under the Supreme Court’s supervision would be credible and added that she trusted no other agency. Banerjee said she was shocked by Pawar’s death and called it a major loss. Several opposition leaders also sought a proper and transparent investigation while offering condolences to Pawar’s family. The aircraft crashed near Baramati during a landing attempt. (PC: India Today, X)

The pilot of the aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar spoke to Air Traffic Control about a visible runway shortly before the plane crashed near Baramati on Wednesday, officials said. No distress call or SOS was issued. The aircraft was scheduled to land around 8.50 am while approaching the Baramati airport, where ATC services were managed by a private aviation school that day. Officials said the pilot may have attempted a go-around, a standard aviation procedure. The aircraft went down moments later and caught fire. All five people on board, including Pawar, died in the crash. Investigators are examining weather and visibility conditions. (PC: X)

The aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar flew for about 35 minutes before crashing near Baramati, flight tracking data showed. The Learjet 45 took off from Mumbai airport around 8:10 am and disappeared from radar shortly before landing. Officials said all five people on board were killed, including Pawar, his personal security officer, an attendant, and two pilots. The jet was operated by Delhi-based charter company VSR Aviation. Data showed the aircraft made a loop to align with the runway before the crash. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation confirmed the details. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is expected to probe the cause of the accident. (PC: The Indian Express, X)

The United States’ top trade official has said India is likely to gain the most from its landmark free trade agreement with the European Union. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the deal appears to tilt in New Delhi’s favour by giving India wider access to European markets. In an interview, Greer said India would “come out on top” and benefit once the pact is implemented. He also pointed to possible worker mobility provisions for Indians in Europe. India and the EU finalised the agreement this week, creating a market of nearly two billion people. The pact will remove most tariffs and expand trade flows between both sides. (PC: India Today)