Maharashtra

Pune/Baramati: The funeral of Maharashtra Deputy CM and NCP leader Ajit Pawar, who tragically died in a plane crash on 28 January 2026, drew thousands of mourners and numerous VVIPs to Baramati’s Vidya Pratishthan grounds. Amid the massive crowd and emotional farewells, a shocking incident occurred: gold chains worth an estimated ₹30 lakh were stolen. Despite the deployment of around 8,000 police personnel to maintain law and order during the state funeral, thieves targeted grieving attendees. Reports indicate that roughly 15 people were robbed, with some vigilant citizens catching a few of the suspects. The accused—Mohammad Yunus, Rajkumar Athawale, Ejaz Mirawale, Mohammad Siraj, Balu Bhotre, and two others—have been taken into custody for questioning. The theft has sent shockwaves ...

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut has made explosive remarks regarding the mysterious death of Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. Speaking in Delhi during the Budget session, Raut questioned how a senior leader like Ajit Pawar could die in a plane crash under such circumstances. Raut drew a parallel with the Justice Loya case, saying the events surrounding Ajit Pawar’s death raise serious concerns. “Ajit Pawar had expressed his desire to return home—referring to the NCP merger—but he was allegedly threatened with files related to the irrigation scam. Within ten days, he met a mysterious death in a plane crash. Something is clearly wrong,” Raut said. He added that these concerns are being raised by Ajit Pawar’s own party, noting that the incident deserves a tho...

Mumbai: Following the tragic death of former Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in a plane crash, speculation over a potential merger of the NCP factions continues. While CM Devendra Fadnavis has denied any such plans, Ajit Pawar’s close aide Kiran Gujar has made a strong claim that the factions will reunite, fulfilling the late leader’s final wish. Gujar, who received Ajit Pawar’s last phone call before the crash, revealed that Ajit had instructed him to prepare documents related to the district council elections and emphasized that the two NCP factions should come together. He said that family members needed 10–11 days of mourning before speaking publicly, after which steps toward the merger could proceed. With Ajit Pawar’s faction confirming its continued alliance with the NDA, BJP ...

Mumbai: Commuters between Mumbai and Pune are set to save significant travel time with the announcement of the Mumbai–Pune high-speed rail corridor in the Union Budget 2026. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis highlighted that the corridor will allow trains to cover the approximately 150 km distance in just 48 minutes, equivalent to the travel time from Borivali to Churchgate in Mumbai. Currently, conventional trains and road travel take around 4 hours, with around 43,000 vehicles traveling daily on the Mumbai–Pune Expressway. The proposed bullet trains are expected to operate at speeds of 300–320 km/h, easing traffic congestion and offering commuters a fast and reliable alternative. Economic and Industrial BenefitsThe Mumbai–Pune–Hyderabad corridor will not only reduce trav...

Pune/Baramati: On the fifth day after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s tragic plane crash, the wreckage of his chartered Learjet 45 was removed from near the Baramati runway on Sunday. Using cranes, the damaged aircraft parts were lifted onto a large trailer and cleared from the site. The areas where the debris fell were marked, and burnt fragments were collected for forensic investigation. Ajit Pawar’s private jet had taken off at 8:10 AM on 28 January, but crashed at 8:44 AM, killing all five onboard. Immediately after the accident, multiple investigations were launched. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) team arrived from Delhi on the same day, accompanied by DGCA officers, while the Maharashtra government handed over the case to the CID for a legal probe...

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday praised the Union Budget 2026, calling it a transformative budget for India’s journey toward becoming the world’s third-largest economy. He expressed gratitude to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for keeping Maharashtra’s interests in focus. Fadnavis claimed that Maharashtra is set to receive nearly ₹1 lakh crore from the central budget, including ₹98,306 crore from central taxes. Initial allocations for various state projects amount to ₹12,355 crore. The state budget for the year will be presented by Chief Minister Fadnavis himself, who noted that late Deputy CM Ajit Pawar had completed significant groundwork, which he will continue to focus on from Monday. Key Allocations for Maharashtra ₹6,103 crore for the Mumb...