Who Was Pinky Mali? Cabin Crew Member Killed in Ajit Pawar Chartered Plane Crash

The crash of a chartered aircraft carrying Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar at Baramati airport has left five people dead, including 29-year-old cabin crew member Pinky Mali from Uttar Pradesh. The tragic incident has deeply shaken her family in Maharashtra and her native village in eastern Uttar Pradesh.

WHO WAS PINKY MALI ?

Pinky Mali lived with her family in Century Quarter, Worli, Mumbai, and was working as a cabin crew member on the flight. The aircraft was heading to Baramati on Wednesday morning for Ajit Pawar's programme linked to the Maharashtra panchayat election campaign. During its landing attempt, the plane overshot the runway, caught fire and crashed. There were no survivors.

Pinky's ancestral home is in Bhainsa village under Kerakat tehsil in Jaunpur district, about 40 kilometres from the district headquarters. Villagers recalled the family's strong connection with the area. Local resident Ashok Singh said Pinky's father regularly visited the village and organised Durga Puja every year. The family had last visited the village around one-and-a-half years ago.

Pinky's cousin Sheetla Prasad Mali said her father, Shiv Kumar Mali, has four brothers. The family had suffered another loss last year when Pinky's grandfather, Babu Ram, passed away. Pinky was married, and most members of the extended family now live in Mumbai.

Her father, Shiv Kumar Mali, a Shiv Sena leader based in Maharashtra, remembered his final conversation with his daughter. He said Pinky sounded happy and told him she would help arrange a conversation with Ajit Pawar once she was on the flight. There was no communication from her after take-off.

Pinky's brother Karan said she had spoken to him earlier that morning and mentioned she would be travelling from Baramati to Nanded. That call was their last contact. Pinky also had a sister, Preeti. All three siblings completed their education in Maharashtra.

According to the Maharashtra aviation department, the crash occurred around 8.45 am. The pilot reportedly aborted the first landing attempt due to poor visibility and tried to land again on runway 11. During the second attempt, the aircraft slipped off the runway and immediately caught fire. Ajit Pawar, security personnel, two pilots and cabin crew member Pinky Mali lost their lives.

Pinky had completed her schooling and higher education in Thane before joining the aviation sector. Her sudden death has left neighbours in Worli and residents of Bhainsa village grieving, as preparations for her final rites begin in Mumbai while her native village mourns the loss of a daughter remembered for her frequent visits and family traditions.