Five Dead as Charter Jet Carrying Maharashtra Deputy CM Crashes

India’s Maharashtra state Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar was among five people killed on Wednesday after a chartered aircraft crashed and caught fire, according to the aviation regulator.

Pawar, a senior leader from a prominent political family, was traveling to his home region to campaign for local body elections when the incident occurred, media reports said. Two members of his staff and two crew members were also on board the VSR Ventures–operated Learjet 45, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation confirmed.