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New Delhi: The last rites of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar, who was killed in a plane crash on Wednesday morning, will be performed with full state honours on Thursday in Baramati, his hometown in Pune district.
According to the NCP, the funeral ceremony will be held at the Vidya Pratishthan ground at 11 am. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are expected to attend the last rites, along with senior leaders from across the political spectrum, reflecting Pawar’s stature in national and state politics.
The tragic crash occurred shortly after the aircraft took off from Mumbai earlier in the day. Ajit Pawar was travelling along with four others when the plane met with a fatal accident.
Besides Pawar, those who lost their lives in the crash include his Personal Security Officer, an attendant, and two crew members — the pilot in command and the first officer. All five occupants on board were killed in the incident, officials said.
Ajit Pawar is survived by his wife Sunetra Pawar, a Rajya Sabha member, and his two sons, Parth and Jay. In a mark of respect, the Maharashtra government has declared a public holiday on Wednesday and announced three days of state mourning. During the mourning period, the national flag will fly at half-mast on all government buildings, and official functions will remain suspended.
