India, Jan. 29 -- Baramati, long regarded as a model of development in Maharashtra and a political stronghold of deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, was engulfed in shock and grief on Wednesday following his death in a plane crash.

As news of the demise of the town's most influential leader spread early in the morning, shops and markets remained shut in a voluntary bandh. Residents gathered near hospitals, cooperative institutions and public spaces, reflecting the deep personal bond many shared with a leader who had dominated Baramati's public life for more than three decades.

From early morning, the usually bustling town, known for its constant movement of buses, traders, farmers and political workers, appeared subdued. Shop shutters sta...