Flight Attendant Pinki Mali Among Five Killed In Ajit Pawar Plane Crash

A chartered aircraft crash in Pune on Wednesday claimed the lives of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar, flight attendant Pinki Mali from Uttar Pradesh’s Jaunpur district, and three others, officials and family sources said.

According to PTI, Pinki Mali, a native of Bhainsa village in Jaunpur, was on board the aircraft at the time of the crash. She had been living with her family in Mumbai and was working as a flight attendant, officials said.

The news of her death cast a shadow of grief over Bhainsa village, where residents gathered to console her family. PTI reported that villagers said Pinki’s father, Shivkumar Mali, an NCP leader, had moved to Mumbai several years ago with his family. Pinki completed her education in Thane and was married about a year ago in Gorakhpur.

Bhainsa village head Raju Pal said Pinki maintained close ties with her native village and visited every year during Durga Puja. He said she actively participated in the festivities and helped in arranging the festival pandal.

Despite the family’s current residence in Mumbai, locals said their ancestral connection with Bhainsa village remained strong, with frequent visits over the years. As news of the crash spread, a pall of gloom enveloped the village and nearby areas, PTI reported. Family members were inconsolable, while villagers remembered Pinki as a hardworking and warm young woman.

Ajit Pawar, Pinki Mali and three others, Captain Sumit Kapoor, who had around 15,000 hours of flying experience, co-pilot Captain Shambhavi Pathak with about 1,500 flying hours, and personal security officer Vidip Jadhav, were killed in the crash, officials said.

(With inputs from PTI)