Today morning, Maharashtra wakes up not to headlines, but to Shock, disbelief and grief.

The name that Maharashtra has spoken for over four decades—with familiarity, disagreement, admiration, and dependence: Ajit Dada Pawar is no more.

The fiery, outspoken, intelligent, visionary and a people’s leader sixty-six year-old Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, NDA ally and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-AP faction) leader Ajit Dada Pawar was among five people killed on Wednesday 28th January 2026 morning when their Bombardier Learjet-the aircraft, a business jet crashed while landing around 8:45 a.m. at Baramati airport section amid poor visibility. The Dada was flying from Mumbai to attend Zilla Parishad election events at Baramati, district Pune.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has confirmed that all five people on board the plane have been killed. According to Flight Radar, the flight took off from Mumbai at 8:10 a.m. and it disappeared from radar around 8:45 am. There were five people on board when the aircraft crashed at 8:50 a.m., a police official said in a statement.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will launch a probe into the fatal Baramati plane crash. The AAIB team will soon visit the crash site.

Maharashtra’s Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and four others were killed in the crash, today.

The news of the plane crash is going to be altered the course of the state’s politics, and of a name that has been inseparable from Maharashtra’s power structure for over four decades: Ajit Dada Anantrao Pawar. The atmosphere that now grips Maharashtra—a mix of shock and question.

For Ajit Dada Pawar was not merely another office-holder. He was an institution of work, authority, and relentless governance.

Remain As A Memory – Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra Dy CM Eknath Shinde with Maharashtra Dy CM Late Ajit Dada Pawar

Born on 22 July 1959, an eight-term MLA from Baramati Assembly Constituency, a former MP, a six-time Deputy Chief Minister, and a finance minister trusted even in unstable coalitions, Ajit Dada Anantrao Pawar was known less for oratory and more for outcomes.

A 21 Yr old would’ve been embarrassed looking at his energy at 66 Yrs. used to get up at 5 am. Used to start his official work at 6 am. Day never used to end up before late midnight. But never a sign of tiredness on his face. A true grassroot leader.

Much of who Ajit Dada Pawar became cannot be spoken of without mentioning Sharad Pawar, his uncle, mentor, and towering presence in Indian politics. Sharad Pawar did not merely introduce him to public life; he shaped his instincts. From him, Ajit Pawar learned the grammar of power in Maharashtra—how rural cooperatives breathe, how sugar belts decide elections, how irrigation is not just water but politics, livelihoods, and dignity.

Yet, over time, Ajit Pawar stepped out of that shadow, forging an identity that was unmistakably his own: decisive, impatient with indecision, fiercely administrative.

He spoke bluntly, often impatiently but with honesty, sometimes controversially. But few questioned his grasp of governance or his ability to move the system. Minister of several departments (Finance and Planning, Energy, Water Resources, Rural Development, Water Supply and Sanitation, Irrigation, etc.)- his imprint was everywhere.

As the Finance Minister, Ajit Dada never let the economic clock of the state slip. He made financial provisions for many development projects in the state. Lakhs of people in Maharashtra along with the workers of Nationalist Congress party have a feeling of being defeated and leaderless today.

The kingdom has suffered immense losses due to the demise of Ajit Dada as He was, to many, the embodiment of relentless work.

The Baramati plane crash did not claim only Ajit Dada’s life. Besides Ajit Dada, the mentioned individuals also died in this tragic accident: Sumeet Kapoor: Pilot, Sambhavi Pathak: Co-pilot, Videep Jadhav: PSO. Pinky Mali: Crew Member

MP Supriya Sule cousin, Ajit Dada Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar and son Parth Pawar reached Baramati following the tragic plane crash that claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Dada Pawar. Visibly overcome with grief at the airport, Supriya Sule broke down and said, ‘Sabka ladla chala gaya’, remembering her cousin and ‘Dada’, as family members and supporters gathered to mourn the loss.

The last rites of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, killed in a plane crash, will be held with full state honours on Thursday (January 29, 2026) in Baramati, Pune district.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP National President Nitin Nabin, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat and many leaders from various opposition parties are expected to attend the last rites, which will be held at Vidya Pratishthan ground, Baramati at 11 a.m. with full state honours to acknowledge Ajit Dada whose working relationship with power was respected even by opponents.

The Condolence from some leaders

Maharashtra Dy CM Ajit Dada Pawar With PM Narendra Modi, Maharashtra Dy CM Eknath Shinde And Others.

PM Narendra Modi wrote on X- Shri Ajit Pawar Ji was a leader of the people, having a strong grassroots level connect. He was widely respected as a hardworking personality at the forefront of serving the people of Maharashtra. His understanding of administrative matters and passion for empowering the poor and downtrodden were also noteworthy. His untimely demise is very shocking and saddening. Condolences to his family and countless admirers. Om Shanti.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis wrote on X- Dada is no more!
My dear friend and colleague, a mass leader with a strong people’s connect, Deputy Chief Minister Ajitdada Pawar lost his life in a plane accident. This is an extremely shocking, heart wrenching news. I’m numb. I do not have any words to express these devastating emotions.
I have lost my brave friend with a huge heart.
This is a tragic and personal loss for me. And it is irreparable loss! I pay my deep, humble, heartfelt respects to dear Dada. My deepest condolences to his entire family and NCP family. We stand together with them in sorrow and tough times. 4 more people lost lives in this accident. My condolences to their families too. We are with them. I’ve cancelled all my scheduled programs and will go to Baramati.

Aum Shanti

Maharashtra Dy CM Eknath Shinde wrote on X-
” My elder brother went. Ajit Pawar’s death has brought down a mountain of grief in Maharashtra. The entire Maharashtra has suffered huge losses. Such a thought did not occur in any dream. Ajit Dada was a man of his word. We worked as a team when I was the CM, and he was Dy CM. As team we had started the Ladli Behen Yojana, and Ajit dada played an important role in it..”

Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Pawan Kalyan wrote on X-
Deeply shocked by the tragic news of the passing of the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, President of NCP and an NDA alliance leader, Sri Ajit Dada Pawar ji, in a devastating plane crash today. His dedicated public service and immense contributions towards the welfare and development of the people of Maharashtra will always be remembered, and his enduring commitment to the people will continue to be held with respect.
I express my profound condolences on his passing and extend my deepest sympathies to his family members, admirers, and party cadre during this moment of immense grief.

The Succession

The question of succession has also begun to surface, quietly but inevitably. Will the mantle fall to wife Sunetra Tai Pawar, whose recent political foray brought her into public view beyond Baramati? Or to son Parth Pawar, whose name carries legacy but whose political journey remains unfinished? Or will seasoned leaders like Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, or Sunil Tatkare attempt to consolidate control?

In moments like these, parties fracture or find new centres or merge—future offers surprise outcomes to consolidate NCP-AP faction.

About the trending Assassination Conspiracy Through Plane Crash

Today, after Ajit Dada’s death due to a plane crash, reacting to W. Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s reaction, NCP Supremo and former Maharashtra CM Sharad Pawar released a statement saying, “The accidental death of Ajit Pawar is a tremendous shock to Maharashtra. Today, Maharashtra has lost a capable and decisive leader. The loss is irreparable, but some things are simply beyond our control. I wasn’t planning to speak to the media today, but I learned that some media outlets were suggesting from Kolkata that there was some political angle behind this accident. But there is no politics involved; this is purely an accident. The pain of this death is felt by Maharashtra and all of us. Please do not bring politics into this. That’s all I wanted to say.”

This statement by Pawar Senior put an end to the political controversy being created by vested political leaders and parties.

When Locations Become Characters: Result, The Visually Amazing Geography of Dhurandhar

Blockbuster films don’t just narrate with their stars — they progress with intention.

And Dhurandhar is a rare example of a movie where geography quietly becomes visually a character of its own. Every street, bridge, village, and mountain ridge convey weight, tension, and meaning. The places you see on screen are not accidental backdrops; they are carefully chosen tools of storytelling.

Image Courtesy: Jio Studios

Directed by Aditya Dhar and powered by the intensity of Ranveer Singh and Akshaye Khanna, Dhurandhar unravels into espionage, moral ambiguity, and fractured loyalties. To make that world believable, the film had to step far beyond studio walls — and sometimes, beyond boundaries.

Bangkok: Building Lyari, Karachi Without Crossing It

When the film went on floors in July 2024, Mumbai’s monsoon made large-scale outdoor shooting nearly impossible. But this wasn’t just a weather problem — it was a creative one. The story demanded scale, density, chaos, and control, all at once. Studios wouldn’t suffice.

That search led the team to Bangkok.

Image Courtesy : Jio Studios

Here’s where the magic happened. In a quiet corner of the city, on a sprawling six-acre plot, an entire version of Karachi’s Lyari area rose from the ground — brick by brick, lane by lane. No shortcuts. No heavy reliance on CGI. Just craftsmanship.

Over 500 workers, most of them Thai artists and technicians, worked relentlessly for nearly 20 days, transforming raw land into a living, breathing neighbourhood. Rooftops felt cramped. Alleys looked worn. Walls carried the fatigue of decades.

On camera, it didn’t look “inspired by” Lyari — it felt like Lyari.

Image Courtesy : Jio Studios

Thailand offered something priceless: freedom. Crowded streets could be controlled. Night shoot takings could stretch longer. Action could unfold without compromise. Chase sequences, covert operations, sudden bursts of violence — all staged with precision, yet grounded in reality.

And that’s why, when the film unfolds, you never feel like you’re watching a set. You feel like you’ve entered a place.

Mumbai: Controlled Chaos and Raw Muscle

Eventually, the journey returned home.

By February 2025, Dhurandhar shifted base to Mumbai. At Filmistan Studios, gripping choreographed indoor scenes and controlled action sequences took shape. But Mumbai wasn’t just about interiors.

A massive four-acre outdoor set was constructed at Madh Island — designed for explosions, collisions, and sequences where everything seems moments away from collapse. Fireballs lit up the night sky. Stunts demanded absolute precision. This was spectacle built the old-school way.

Image Courtesy: Jio Studios

For high-speed chase scenes, the production moved to the Dombivli-Mankoli Bridge. Long, open stretches allowed vehicles to roar, zigzag, and collide while the cinematography captured every nerve-wracking thrill shots.

The bridge wasn’t dressed up — it was used as-is, lending grit and realism.

Image Courtesy: Jio Studios

Then came a emotional shift. In July 2025, a stylised song sequence was filmed at the iconic Golden Tobacco Factory in Vile Parle. Industrial, textured, and visually striking, it offered contrast — a brief breath in a film otherwise heavy with tension.

Punjab: Quiet Streets, Heavy History

Not all drama is loud. In November 2024, the second schedule moved north to Punjab. Near Amritsar, scenes were shot close to the Golden Temple — not as visual spectacle, but as emotional connect. The calm, spiritual atmosphere subtly deepened the narrative.

Image Courtesy : Jio Studios

In Khera Village, rooftops were reshaped, signs rewritten, and streets redesigned to resemble border-adjacent regions. For three to four days, the village transformed — not into a postcard, but into a believable frontier where suspicion hangs in the air.

Even locations like the Sector 16/17 underpass in Amritsar were woven into the story with intent, their everyday anonymity amplifying the tension of the scenes shot there.

Ladakh: Where the Story Strips Bare

The most unforgiving location came last.

Ladakh isn’t just visually stunning — it’s physically demanding. High altitude. Thin air. Unpredictable weather. For the cast and crew, it tested endurance as much as commitment.

But what Ladakh gives in return is irreplaceable.

Image Courtesy: Jio Studios

Wide, empty landscapes. A sense of isolation that presses down on the frame. Silence that feels louder than dialogue. In Dhurandhar, Ladakh becomes a mirror for vulnerability — a place where the spy is exposed, stripped of allies, and forced to confront survival itself.

No studio could replicate that feeling.

Why These Locations Matter

Dhurandhar doesn’t depend on action alone to leave its mark. Its locations carry emotional codes:

Bangkok-built Lyari breathes chaos and control

Mumbai delivers muscle and momentum

Punjab adds cultural depth and quiet tension

Ladakh brings isolation and existential risk

The film’s story — exploring the nexus between politicians, gangsters, and terror networks, following an Indian spy deep inside hostile territory — demands authenticity. And that authenticity comes from places that feel lived-in, not manufactured.

With powerhouse performances from Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, Sanjay Dutt, and Arjun Rampal, Soumya Tandon, Sara Arjun, the film’s world feels dangerous because it looks real.

Image Courtesy : Jio Studios

For fans, discovering these locations isn’t just trivia — it’s a window into the ambition behind the film.
Dhurandhar didn’t just travel to shoot scenes. It travelled to find truth.

And that’s why, long after the credits roll, the places stay with you.

Also, read Dhurandhar Review and comment : https://bharatnewsupdates.com/dhurandhar-film-review-a-powerful-action-packed-engrossing-yet-a-bit-dragged-out-theatrical-experience/

As more of our lives spent working, banking, business task online, so is the vulnerability around our smartphones are growing immensely. From fraudulent scam calls to phone thefts and tempered devices, staying safe and guarded often feels overwhelming.

That’s where Sanchar Saathi, created by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), guard us — a single platform app built to help common Indian individuals safeguard themselves every day.

Here’s how it helps:

1. Report Fraud Calls and Messages — ‘Chakshu’

If you receive dubious calls, SMS or WhatsApp messages claiming to be from:

a. Banks or government offices
b. Police or telecom authorities
c. Fake investment or trading schemes
d. KYC updates or payment alerts.

you can easily report them through Chakshu. This helps stop scams before they spread to others.

2. Block or Track Your Lost Mobile Phone

Losing a phone can feel like losing your whole life.

Sanchar Saathi lets you:

a. Block your lost/stolen phone so nobody else can use it
b. Help generate a trace if someone tries to use it
c. Unblock it again when it’s found

This works across all Indian telecom networks

3.

Sometimes, unknown numbers are issued using your ID without your permission.
With this tool, you can:

✔ See how many mobile connections are linked to your name
✔ Report numbers you never took
✔ Cancel extra or misused SIMs

This protects your identity from being used for fraud.

4. Verify if Your Phone Is Genuine

Fake and cloned phones are common — and risky.
By typing your IMEI number, Sanchar Saathi detects whether your device is original, safe, and legally valid in India.

A must confirmation tool before buying a used phone!

5. Report International Calls That Pretend to Be Local

Fraudster often call from various other countries while showing a +91XXXXXXX number on screen.
These fraud calls:

a. Hide their real identity
b. Try to cheat people
c. Harm national security

Reporting them helps authorities deactivate such networks.

6. Find Your mobile Internet Service Provider

Not sure which Wireline Internet Service provider serves your area?
Simply enter your PIN code, address, or ISP name and get the instant details

This helps when choosing your internet provider or migrating your present internet service provider.

7. Verify Trusted Customer Care Contacts

Scammers often pretend to be from banks or companies.
This feature lets you:

✔ Check if a number is genuinely from the organization
✔ Confirm verified email IDs and website links

It’s a quick way to impersonate falling into a fraud trap.

Why Sanchar Saathi Matters

India’s digital growth is fast — but so are the growing cyber threats and scam.
Sanchar Saathi gives every smartphone user simple tools to stay protected:

a. Stops scammers from misusing your identity
b. Prevents lost devices from being misused or re-sold
c. Helps curb cloned & illegal phones
d. Gives peace of mind when communicating online

The government has even directed phone makers to pre-install Sanchar Saathi on new smartphones, so people can safeguard all these
protections from day one.

A Safer Digital India, A Surging Digital India

Sanchar Saathi is a very important security safeguard app — it facilitate real time fraud prevention for every Indian who posses a mobile phone.

By staying alert and using this app, we can mitigate scam, fraud, reduce theft, and build a more safe digital India together.

Opposition’s  “Snooping” “Big Boss” “Tracker” Privacy Rhetoric Against Sanchar Saathi App

The Government Department Of telecommunication’s (DoT) directive to all mobile handset manufacturers and importers to sell pre installed Sanchar Saathi app in all new devices within 90 days, has drawn as expected a sharp privacy rhetoric from the Oppositions.

1. “The Modi government’s diktat to all mobile manufacturers to install Sanchar Saarthi app on all new and existing phones is a brazen attack on individual privacy and liberty. No democracy in the world has ever attempted to do so.

The notification issued by the government has no mention of seeking individual consent to install the app or providing the option to delete it at any time. @AamAadmiParty condemns such gross dictatorial actions and demands immediate withdrawal of the notification“
stated by Arvind Kejriwal on X.

While Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said he would speak in the debate in the House about it, his sister and Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called it a “snooping app”.

2. “#SancharSaathi app is yet another addition to the long list of attempts by the BJP to strangulate the voice of the people.
Modi Govt’s unilateral directions to preload this app without taking into confidence various stakeholders and citizens is akin to dictatorship.
Why does the Govt want to know what citizens talk with their family and friends?” stated by Mallikarjun Kharge on X.

3. Big Brother cannot watch us. This DoT Direction is beyond unconstitutional.
The Right to Privacy is an intrinsic part of the fundamental right to life and liberty, enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution.
A pre-loaded government app that cannot be uninstalled is a dystopian tool to monitor every Indian. It is a means to watch over every movement, interaction and decision of each citizen. This is part of the long series of relentless assaults on the Constitutional Rights of Indian citizens and will not be allowed to continue. We reject this Direction and demand an immediate rollback – stated by Senior Congress leader KC Venugopal on X.

4. Sanchar Saathi mobile application mandate to every mobile phone manufacturer as a permanent mobile feature by the GoI is nothing but another BIG BOSS surveillance moment. Such shady ways to get into individual phones will be protested and opposed & if the IT Ministry thinks that instead of creating robust redressal systems it will create surveillance systems then it should be ready for a pushback! –
stated by Priyanka Chaturvedi, Rajya Sabha MP from Shiv Sena (UBT) on X.

Amid the massive opposition parties uproar surrounding the Centre’s directions to phone manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on all mobile devices, responding to the media’s queries, Government Of India – Dot Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has clarified that –

The digital security of every citizen of the country is our top priority. The ‘Sanchar Saathi’ app aims to enable everyone to protect their privacy
and remain safe from online fraud.

It is a completely voluntary and democratic system – users can activate the app and avail its benefits, or if they do not wish to, they can
easily delete it from their phone at any time.

Public trust in Sanchar Saathi is continuously growing.
– Over 200 million people have used the portal so far.
– Over 15 million users are connected to the app.
– Over 14.3 million mobile connections were disconnected when citizens selected ‘Not My Number’.
– 2.6 million mobile phones were traced, of which 72.3 million phones were successfully returned to citizens.
– 40.96 million fraudulent mobile connections reported by citizens were disconnected.
– 620,000 fraud-linked IMEIs have been blocked.

This initiative is a significant step towards strengthening protection, transparency and a customer-first approach.
@DoT_India

https://bharatnewsupdates.com/