Loni Bhapkar villagers observe bandh, demand investigation into Ajit Pawar’s plane crash incident

Pune: Residents of Loni Bhapkar village, located about 75km from Pune in the Baramati assembly constituency, observed a bandh on Sunday, demanding a detailed probe into the plane crash that claimed the life of former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar on Jan 28.Villagers said Loni Bhapkar had consistently supported Pawar and decided to call for a shutdown after various reports suggested the possibility of a conspiracy behind the crash in Baramati.Village sarpanch Geetanjali Bhapkar, in a letter to the police, stated, "After going through various reports related to Ajit dada's plane crash, there is suspicion that it may not have been an accident but an act of sabotage. Hence, a detailed investigation is necessary."Former sarpanch Ravindra Bhapkar said the village, with a population of around 4,200, unanimously decided last week to observe the bandh. "I have personally worked with Ajitdada for over 25 years. He was the person we always approached for development works, and our issues were addressed immediately. He was like a support system for us and took personal interest in the village's development. His death is a personal loss for us," he told TOI.He added that not a single resident opposed the shutdown call. "We have supported Ajit Pawar since he entered politics. Even after the split in the NCP, the village stood firmly with him," Bhapkar said.Villagers demanded that all evidence, including travel details and CCTV footage from before the crash, be made public. "Media reports have raised suspicion about the crash. We want a proper and transparent investigation. The protest was organised to send a message to the state and central govts to take note of the growing demand for a fair probe," he said, adding that several neighbouring villages are also planning similar protests in the coming days.Residents also questioned reports of damage to the aircraft's black box, stating such claims were adding to their suspicion of sabotage. "Ajitdada was like a family member. There is a feeling that the truth is being hidden, which is causing anger among people. Even several days after the crash, no action has been taken against any agency or individual. This raises serious doubts about the investigation. The govt must take corrective steps before this anger among people explodes," another villager said.Rohit Pawar, MLA from NCP (SP) and Ajit Pawar's nephew, has demanded a comprehensive probe into the crash, including a review of possible foreign involvement. He has addressed multiple press conferences in Mumbai and Delhi, raising questions about the sequence of events before and after the incident.Earlier, senior NCP leaders, including Jayant Patil and Sunil Tatkare, along with deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar and Parth Pawar, met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and submitted a letter seeking a CBI probe into the crash.Meanwhile, Ajit Pawar's younger son, Jay Pawar, has also demanded a ban on the airline whose aircraft was involved in the crash. In a social media post on Wednesday, he called for a detailed investigation into alleged irregularities in the company's aircraft maintenance practices.