What was initially reported as a trekking accident at Lohagad Fort in Pune district on June 18 has now become a murder investigation. Police allege that 26-year-old Ketan Agarwal, the son of a Pimpri-Chinchwad-based businessman, was pushed into a gorge during a birthday outing by his fiancée, Siya Goyal, and her alleged accomplice, Chetan Chaudhary.
The two were arrested on June 23 after investigators uncovered inconsistencies in witness statements, CCTV footage, and other evidence. Police are also examining whether there were multiple earlier attempts to kill Agarwal before the fatal incident.
Plot Behind the Lohagad Murder Case
Ketan Agarwal, the son of prominent Pimpri-Chinchwad builder Vishal Agarwal, got engaged to Siya Goyal in February and the couple was scheduled to marry in November. According to police, the families had shared close ties for nearly 40 years and had already begun preparations for an elaborate wedding, including booking a Jaipur palace reportedly worth Rs 17 crore and arranging private aircraft for guests.
Investigators, however, allege that Goyal was unwilling to proceed with the marriage and was in a relationship with Chetan Babulal Chaudhary. Police claim the two conspired to kill Agarwal and that the fatal incident on June 18 may not have been their first attempt. As part of the investigation, officers are examining earlier visits by the couple to Lohagad Fort on May 31 and June 14, as well as another proposed trip on June 4 that did not materialise. According to police, the June 18 visit, presented as a birthday outing, culminated in Agarwal's death.
"He Slipped While Taking Photos"
By 10:30 AM on June 18, Goyal told authorities that Agarwal had lost his footing near the edge while clicking photographs and plunged into a nearly 400-foot-deep gorge. His body was recovered after a three-hour rescue operation. Police initially filed a case of accidental death and took her account at face value.
Hours later, Goyal posted an emotional Instagram story: "You left me on my birthday. You left when we were so close to getting married... Why did you leave me when I loved you so much? Rest in peace."
The Agarwal family questioned the accident theory, arguing that Ketan was an experienced trekker familiar with the terrain. Police later revisited the case after relatives raised suspicions and investigators found inconsistencies in Goyal's statements, according to Pune Rural SP Sandeep Singh Gill.
The CCTV Breakthrough
As police reviewed footage from cameras installed at and around the fort, one figure stood out: a young man in a hoodie. In the June heat, temperatures that day were around 33°C, the heavy clothing made no sense. Officers tracked the same individual appearing near the site of the incident, a detail they found suspicious enough to pursue.
Cross-referencing the footage with call records, investigators identified the man in the hoodie as Chetan Chaudhary. What made the trail stronger was what he had done to avoid it: Chaudhary had left his own phone at home and was instead using a staffer's device to communicate with Goyal over WhatsApp, a move police say clearly points to premeditation and a deliberate attempt to evade tracking.
Arrest and Confession
On June 23, police arrested both Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary. The two have reportedly confessed to pushing Ketan Agarwal off the cliff. Investigators are now probing whether the June 18 killing was in fact the fourth attempt on his life, with the earlier fort visits forming part of a pattern of failed efforts.
Ketan's father Vishal Agarwal told reporters: "We never imagined something like this could happen. We had known Siya's family for nearly 35 to 40 years and had complete faith in them. Losing a 26-year-old son in such circumstances is devastating." His mother Rakhi added: "We treated Siya like our family. We want strict action against all those responsible."
