From Ajit Pawar To OP Jindal: Politicians Whose Lives Ended In Tragic Accidents

The tragic death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash has once again drawn attention to the unfortunate accidents that have claimed the lives of several prominent Indian politicians over the years. Pawar, a towering figure in state politics and a key leader of the Nationalist Congress Party, lost his life when his chartered aircraft went down in Baramati on January 28, 2026. His sudden demise adds to a long list of leaders whose careers and lives were cut short by accidents, leaving behind legacies that continue to shape Indian politics.

Union Minister Gopinath Munde was among those who met a tragic end. On June 3, 2014, he passed away in a road accident, shocking the nation. Munde was a senior BJP leader and his untimely death left a void in Maharashtra’s political landscape.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Dorjee Khandu was killed on April 30, 2011, when a helicopter carrying him and four others from Tawang to Itanagar crashed in a dense forested area. The helicopter lost contact just 20 minutes after takeoff as it approached Sela Pass at 13,000 feet. Bad weather and difficult terrain contributed to the tragedy.

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, popularly known as YSR, died on September 3, 2009, when his Bell 430 helicopter crashed in the Nalamalla forests of Chitoor district. The helicopter went missing in heavy rain, and his body was found 27 hours later. His death was a devastating blow to the state, where he was a beloved leader.

O P Jindal, Haryana’s power minister and a noted industrialist, along with state agriculture minister Surendra Singh, died on March 31, 2005, when their helicopter developed a technical snag and crashed near Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh.

Lok Sabha Speaker and Telugu Desam Party leader G M C Balayogi lost his life on March 3, 2002, when the private helicopter he was traveling in crashed while attempting an emergency landing in Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh. His assistant secretary and pilot also perished in the accident. Investigations revealed that poor visibility led the pilot to mistakenly land in a pond.

Senior Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia was killed on September 30, 2001, when a Cessna aircraft crashed while he was traveling to Kanpur to address a rally. Six others accompanying him also died. Bad weather and a possible cloudburst were believed to have caused the crash.

Congress leader Rajesh Pilot died in a road accident on June 11, 2000, in his constituency Dausa, Rajasthan. He was driving when his car collided head-on with a state transport bus. Despite battling for life for 45 minutes, he could not be saved.

Sanjay Gandhi, the younger son of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, died on June 23, 1980, when the glider he was piloting crashed soon after takeoff from Safdarjung airport in Delhi. His death was one of the earliest aviation-related tragedies to strike Indian politics.