India plane crash kills senior state official

A private plane crashed in western India on Wednesday, killing five people, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, aviation authorities said.

The aircraft was flying from Mumbai to Baramati when it went down in an open field and caught fire. There were no survivors. The cause of the crash was not immediately known, and India’s aviation regulator said an investigation is underway.

Pawar, 66, was traveling to his hometown to campaign in a local election. Two members of his staff and two crew members were also killed.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute, calling Pawar a “leader of the people” and describing his death as shocking.