Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on Monday that compensation will be provided to the families of all four victims who lost their lives in the tragic air crash on January 28 in Baramati, Pune district. The crash claimed the life of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and three other individuals aboard the aircraft.
Compensation Details for Victims' Families
In response to queries from media outlets, CM Fadnavis clarified the compensation structure for the affected families. He stated that the family of the policeman, identified as personal security officer Vidip Jadhav, would receive compensation according to the established government policy for such incidents.
For the other three victims, the compensation will be disbursed from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. However, Fadnavis did not reveal the specific monetary amounts that would be provided to these families, leaving that detail for future announcements.
Details of the Fatal Air Crash
The tragic incident occurred when a Learjet 45 aircraft, carrying Deputy CM Ajit Pawar (66) from Mumbai, crashed approximately 200 meters from the edge of the tabletop airstrip in Baramati, which is Pawar's hometown in Pune district.
The victims of this devastating crash included:
- Captain Sumit Kapoor, the pilot with extensive experience of over 15,000 flying hours
- Co-pilot Captain Shambhavi Pathak, who had accumulated around 1,500 flying hours
- Personal security officer Vidip Jadhav
- Flight attendant Pinky Mali
Multiple Investigations Underway
The Maharashtra state police have initiated a comprehensive probe into the circumstances surrounding the crash. The Pune Rural police registered an accidental death case under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which has since been transferred to the Crime Investigation Department (CID) for further examination.
Officials confirmed that a dedicated CID team has already commenced its investigation and is actively collecting all relevant documents and evidence from the Pune Rural police to piece together the events leading to the tragedy.
Simultaneously, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, operating under the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, has launched its own formal investigation to determine the precise cause of the crash. This dual investigative approach aims to ensure a thorough examination of all factors that may have contributed to this unfortunate incident.
The announcement of compensation comes as authorities continue their meticulous investigations into one of Maharashtra's most significant aviation tragedies in recent memory, which has left the political community and aviation sector in mourning.
