Ajit Pawar’s Last Rites to Be Held Today in Baramati With Full State Honours, PM Modi, Amit Shah Expected

The funeral of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will be held at 11 AM on Thursday at an educational institute in Baramati, where his mortal remains were brought on Wednesday evening as thousands

of supporters gathered to pay their last respects.Emotional scenes played out at the Vidya Pratishtan campus in Pune district as Nationalist Congress Party workers and local residents raised slogans praising the late leader. Many supporters were seen in tears as the flower-decked vehicle carrying Pawar’s mortal remains arrived at the venue.Pawar, 66, and four others were killed earlier Wednesday when a chartered aircraft crashed near the Baramati airport, about 200 meters from the edge of a tabletop runway. His death has sent shockwaves through Maharashtra’s political establishment and cast uncertainty over the future of the Nationalist Congress Party, which he headed.Also Read: Ajit Pawar Plane Crash: Questions That Still Have No AnswersKnown widely as “Dada,” Pawar was one of the most influential leaders in state politics and a key figure in the BJP-led ruling coalition. His sudden death has left a major void in the state government.Before being taken to the Vidya Pratishtan, Pawar’s mortal remains were kept at a medical college in Baramati. As the procession moved through the town, crowds lined the roads, many breaking down in grief.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNnxXhB7W8c

The last rites will be performed with full state honours. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and leaders from across the political spectrum are expected to attend. All we know about Ajit Pawar's death Police have registered an accidental death report in connection with the plane crash that killed Ajit Pawar and four others in Baramati. A senior officer of the Pune rural police said an accidental death report was filed at the Baramati taluka police station. As per procedure, the case will be handed over to the Maharashtra Criminal Investigation Department once formal orders are issued.The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, which operates under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, has already taken charge of the technical investigation into the crash. The CID is expected to conduct its probe based on the findings of the bureau.A CID official said investigations involving the death of a senior public figure in an accident are typically handled by the department. Orders transferring the case are awaited, the official added.Pawar, who headed the Nationalist Congress Party, had departed from Mumbai to campaign in Pune district ahead of the February 5 Zilla Parishad elections.Those killed in the crash included the pilot, Captain Sumit Kapoor, who had logged about 15,000 flying hours; co-pilot Captain Shambhavi Pathak, with about 1,500 hours of experience; Pawar’s personal security officer Vidip Jadhav; and flight attendant Pinky Mali.According to a government statement, the Learjet had been cleared for landing after a go-around due to poor visibility. After receiving final clearance, the aircraft failed to provide a read-back to air traffic control and burst into flames moments later near the runway.