Baramati mourns Ajit Pawar’s death, thousands gather chanting ‘Dada, Dada’
Baramati has been plunged into deep grief following the sudden death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar. The city, considered his political stronghold, witnessed an overwhelming outpouring of emotion as thousands of party workers, supporters and local residents gathered to mourn their leader.
Large crowds assembled near the Punyeshlok Ahilyabai Holkar Government Medical College, where scenes of uncontrollable sobbing and grief were reported. People from nearby villages also began arriving in large numbers, swelling the crowds across the city. Many could be heard chanting “Give us back our Dada,” reflecting shock and disbelief over the tragedy.
As a mark of respect, several shops in Baramati remained voluntarily closed. The atmosphere across the town remained tense but peaceful, with grief dominating public spaces.
To maintain law and order amid the massive gathering, heavy police deployment was carried out across Baramati. Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill confirmed that the aircraft involved in the accident had suffered extensive damage. He said the bodies of Ajit Pawar and others present at the scene were shifted to the hospital for further procedures.
Due to the severity of the crash, officials said identification of the bodies was still underway. “The condition of the bodies is extremely critical. Technical investigations and identification procedures are being conducted at the fastest possible pace,” Gill said.
Despite the emotionally charged situation, police confirmed that no incidents of law and order disturbances had been reported so far. Authorities continue to closely monitor the situation and have appealed to citizens to remain calm and cooperate with officials.
Baramati, long known for its unwavering support for Ajit Pawar, is witnessing one of the largest public expressions of grief in its history. The district administration has urged people to allow authorities to complete all necessary procedures related to the accident and identification of the victims.
VIDEO | Mortal remains of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar brought to Baramati Medical College following his demise along with five others in an aircraft crash. Visuals from outside the hospital.#AjitPawar
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 28, 2026
(Full video available on PTI Videos -… pic.twitter.com/6wJrUWARCn
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UP SIR: Over 84 lakh voters added in final list, total electorate rises to 13.39 crore
Lucknow (PTI): Uttar Pradesh's electorate grew by over 84 lakh to 13.39 crore after the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), according to the final voter list published on Friday.
Addressing a press conference at the Lok Bhawan Media Centre here, Uttar Pradesh's Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa said the SIR exercise was conducted from October 27, 2025, to April 10, 2026, covering all 75 districts, 403 assembly constituencies and polling stations across the state.
He said the 166-day exercise was carried out with the contribution of 75 District Election Officers (DEOs), 403 Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), 12,758 Assistant EROs, 18,026 BLO supervisors and 1,77,516 Booth Level Officers (BLOs). In addition, 5,82,877 booth-level agents of recognised political parties and crores of voters extended cooperation.
Print, electronic and digital media also played a key role in awareness efforts, he added.
Rinwa said the draft electoral roll published on January 6, 2026, had a total of 12,55,56,025 voters, including 6.88 crore male voters, 5.67 crore female voters and 4,119 third gender voters.
The number of voters in the 18-19 age group stood at 3,33,981, while the gender ratio was 824 female voters per 1,000 male voters.
The final electoral roll published on April 10 shows the total number of voters at 13,39,84,792, he said.
Of these, male voters number 7,30,71,071 (around 54 per cent), female voters 6,09,09,525 (45.46 per cent) and third gender voters 4,206 (less than 0.01 per cent).
The number of voters in the 18-19 age group has risen to 17,63,360, accounting for 1.32 per cent of the total electorate. The gender ratio has also improved to 834 female voters per 1,000 male voters.
Comparing the draft and final rolls, Rinwa said the total increase in the number of voters is 84,28,767. This includes an increase of 42,27,902 male voters, 42,00,778 female voters and 87 third gender voters.
The 18-19 age group registered a rise of 14,29,379 voters, while the gender ratio improved by 10 points from 824 to 834, he said.
Among districts, Prayagraj recorded the highest increase in voters at 3,29,421, followed by Lucknow at 2,85,961, Bareilly at over 2,57,000, Ghaziabad at 2,43,666 and Jaunpur at 2,37,590.
The CEO said the successful completion of the revision exercise reflects coordinated efforts by election officials, political parties and voters across the state.
