CHENNAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died on Wednesday morning in a plane crash while travelling from Baramati to Mumbai. The aircraft encountered an accident in conditions of low visibility, officials said.

Eyewitnesses reported that the plane landed several metres short of the runway at Baramati Airport, resulting in a violent impact and subsequent explosion.

According to an NDTV report, the aircraft involved had previously experienced a minor crash in September 2023. At that time, poor visibility due to heavy rain contributed to the plane’s skid during landing. The aircraft is owned by VSR Ventures, the report added.

After the earlier incident, the aircraft was cleared to operate , the flight was cleared to operate after inspection and maintenance, the report said.