Was pilot a suicide bomber? NCP MLC's Ajit Pawar crash claim sparks row

A political storm has erupted in Maharashtra after a senior Nationalist Congress Party leader publicly questioned whether a plane crash allegedly linked to Ajit Pawar was merely an accident, or something far more sinister.

SUICIDE BOMBER CLAIM SPARKS ROW

In Maharashtra’s Akola district, NCP MLC Amol Mitkari set off controversy during a Shiv Jayanti programme by drawing parallels between the alleged aircraft incident and the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Addressing the gathering, Mitkari asked, “Was this just an accident, or was there a deeper conspiracy behind it?”

He went further, invoking the Sri Lankan militant organisation Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which was responsible for Gandhi’s assassination in 1991.

“Just as the LTTE assassinated Rajiv Gandhi, was a similar conspiracy hatched in Ajit Pawar’s case?” Mitkari said. “Was Captain Sumit Kapoor flying the aircraft as a suicide bomber?”

QUESTIONS OVER PILOT’S DEATH

Mitkari also cast doubt over whether Captain Sumit Kapoor had in fact died in the crash. Referring to claims reportedly made by the pilot’s wife, he said, “If his wife says he is alive, then who died in that accident?”

He questioned the silence surrounding the episode. “When there is such a big mystery linked to Ajit Pawar, how is Maharashtra so calm?” he asked.

Mitkari described the episode as the “unsolved mystery of Gojubavi’s Maalaran” and argued that technical findings alone would not suffice.

“We are being told that black box data will be shared later. But the real question is — why have the CCTV footages not been made public?” he said.

CCTV FOOTAGE DEMAND

The NCP legislator also sought clarity on the role of other pilots linked to the flight. He asked where Captain Sahil Madan and Captain Yash — who were earlier assigned responsibility for the aircraft — were at the time of departure.

“What traffic were they stuck in? Where is their CCTV movement footage? Where are they now? This should be made public,” Mitkari said.

He insisted that investigating agencies must not limit themselves to technical reports but place all visual evidence before the public.

POLITICAL HEAT RISES

Mitkari’s remarks have intensified political tensions in the state, which is already navigating a sensitive phase. His comments have triggered debate across political circles, particularly within the Nationalist Congress Party.

In an emotional moment during his speech, Mitkari said, “Ajit Pawar could have emerged as the greatest Chief Minister representing Shiv ideology for Maharashtra.”

As of now, neither the administration nor investigating agencies have issued an official response to the claims. However, the questions raised in Akola have quickly travelled beyond district boundaries, fuelling a wider political controversy across Maharashtra.

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