India, Jan. 29 -- The fireball triggered by the crash was so intense that the identity of the five individuals who perished in the accident in Baramati, including deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, was established not by identifying their remains but their personal belongings.

For Pawar, it was his wristwatch that helped confirm his identity. "We saw his wristwatch on his hand. This and his clothes helped identify him. His face was not recognisable," said a local resident. Track latest in Ajit Pawar plane crash here

The irony was not lost on the locals and other first responders who arrived at the crash site on Wednesday morning. The clock, the election symbol of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) he helmed, ultimately proved decisive ...