Ajit Pawar Identified by Wristwatch After Baramati Crash Fire Made Bodies Unrecognisable

The intense fireball caused by the Baramati plane crash was so severe that the five victims, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, could not be identified through their remains and were instead recognised by their personal belongings, officials and locals said.

In Pawar’s case, it was his wristwatch that helped confirm his identity.

“We saw his wristwatch on his hand. That and his clothes helped identify him. His face was not recognisable,” a local resident said.

The detail carried painful irony for many at the site, as the clock is also the election symbol of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which Pawar led.

The aircraft, carrying Pawar and four others, crashed while attempting to land at the Baramati airstrip amid poor visibility. It burst into flames on impact and was completely gutted, making visual identification impossible.

Local residents who witnessed the crash were the first to reach the scene and found only wreckage and badly burned bodies.

NCP leader and MLC Amol Mitkari said the manner of identification reflected the scale of the tragedy for party workers.

“Because of Ajit Dada, a grassroots worker like me became an MLC. It is extremely unfortunate that he had to be identified by his wristwatch, which is also our party symbol,” he said.

Pawar was on his way to campaign for the zilla parishad and panchayat samiti elections. His schedule included rallies and public meetings across Baramati throughout the day.

As news of his death spread, the town fell silent. Party workers and residents gathered in shock, many breaking down in tears. Supporters who had arrived with flowers and garlands to welcome him were left devastated as a day of campaigning turned into one of mourning.

Investigations into the crash are ongoing. Meanwhile, residents said they are struggling to accept the loss of a leader who had been a constant presence in the region — and the tragic irony of how he was finally identified.