'She Will Never Come Back': Family Of Pinky Mali, Who Died In Ajit Pawar Plane Crash, Devastated

Last Updated:January 29, 2026, 09:34 IST

Pinky’s mother Maya Mali, who lives in Mumbai, said she had felt a strange unease on the day of the crash.

“My heart was restless. I felt something was wrong, but no one was telling me clearly,” Pinky's mother said, breaking down. (Image: PTI)

“Papa, you know what, I am flying with Ajit Pawar ji today… I’ll surely make you speak to him." Those were the last words 29-year-old Pinky Mali, a native of Jaunpur district in Uttar Pradesh, said to her father, Shiv Kumar Mali, a day before she lost her life in the tragic chartered aircraft crash in Maharashtra.

Shiv Kumar, a taxi driver based in Mumbai, had no idea that the casual, cheerful phone call would be his final conversation with his daughter. “She sounded very happy. I never imagined that this would be the last time I would hear her voice," he said, struggling to hold back tears.

Pinky Mali was working as a cabin crew member on the chartered aircraft that crashed during landing at Baramati airport on Wednesday morning. The aircraft was carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and other passengers. All five people on board, including Pinky, lost their lives in the accident.

From a village in Jaunpur to the skies

Pinky hailed from Bhainsa village in Kerakat tehsil, about 40 kilometres from the Jaunpur district headquarters. Her journey from a small village in eastern Uttar Pradesh to working aboard chartered flights for top political leaders was one her family took immense pride in.

Her younger brother Karan recalled that Pinky had spoken to him early Wednesday morning. “She told me she was flying from Baramati to Nanded. After that, there was no message, no call," he said. When news of the crash reached the family, hope quickly gave way to devastating confirmation.

Pinky’s father said the family had moved to Mumbai nearly three decades ago in search of livelihood. Despite settling in the city, their ties to their native village in Jaunpur remained strong. “We always came back to the village. I organised Durga Puja here every year," he said. The family had last visited the village barely two months ago.

A mother’s unexplainable fear

Pinky’s mother Maya Mali, who lives in Mumbai, said she had felt a strange unease on the day of the crash. “My heart was restless. I felt something was wrong, but no one was telling me clearly," she said, breaking down.

She recalled that Pinky never missed calling her in the morning. “Every day she would say, ‘Mummy, have your breakfast, take your medicines.’ That day, there was no call, no message. That’s when my fear kept growing," Maya said.

The family said Pinky had worked as a flight attendant on chartered flights carrying several senior leaders and officials. She had previously flown with Ajit Pawar, Devendra Fadnavis, Narayan Rane, and Rane’s son. “We were proud of her job and her discipline," her mother said.

According to Pinky’s cousin Sheetla Prasad Mali, the family had already been dealing with grief. Pinky’s grandfather Babu Ram Mali passed away last year. “This tragedy has completely shattered the family," he said.

Pinky is survived by her parents, brother Karan, and sister Preeti. She lived in Mumbai’s Worli Century Quarters area. She was married in Ballia district of Uttar Pradesh, and her in-laws also reside in Mumbai.

News of her death spread quickly through Bhainsa village, where locals described her as grounded despite her professional success. “She never forgot her roots," said a villager, Ashok Singh.

The crash and investigation

The crash occurred when the chartered aircraft attempted to land at Baramati airport around 8:45 am. After an initial failed landing attempt due to poor runway visibility, the pilot tried to land again on Runway 11, but the aircraft went down before reaching the runway and caught fire. No emergency ‘Mayday’ call was issued before the crash.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has launched a detailed probe. Teams have been dispatched to Baramati and to Delhi, where the operator company VSR Ventures is based. The company has stated that the aircraft had no technical faults and that the pilot had over 16,000 hours of flying experience.

However, in the backdrop of the ongoing investigations, for Pinky Mali’s family in Jaunpur and Mumbai, the loss is deeply personal and irreversible. “She will never come back," her mother said. “Some losses are beyond words."

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