NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said the plane crash in which his nephew and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others were killed was an accident and should not be politicised.

Speaking to reporters here, Pawar said Ajit Pawar’s death was a major shock for the state and an irreparable loss.

“Maharashtra has lost a hardworking and efficient leader. This is a huge loss for the state. Not everything is in our hands,” he said.

Referring to demands for a separate probe into the incident, Pawar said there was no political angle to the tragedy.

“A stand has been taken from Kolkata suggesting that there is some politics involved in this incident. There is nothing like that. It was an accident. I request everyone not to bring politics into it,” he said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier demanded a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the plane crash, alleging that existing agencies were “completely compromised”.

She had said the truth would not emerge through the present investigative mechanisms and that only a probe under the supervision of the apex court would be credible.

Ajit Pawar and four others died earlier on Wednesday when the chartered aircraft they were travelling in crashed while attempting to land at Baramati airport in Maharashtra. Preliminary information provided by aviation authorities indicated poor visibility at the time of landing, and an investigation by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is underway.

Sharad Pawar did not comment on the demand for a court-monitored probe, reiterating instead that the incident should be treated as an accident and not drawn into political controversy.