The death of 25-year-old Ketan Vishal Agarwal at Pune's Lohagad Fort, initially believed to be an accident, has taken a dramatic turn after police alleged that he was murdered by his fiancée, Siya Goyal, and her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary. Both have been arrested.
Agarwal died on June 18 after falling nearly 350 feet into a gorge during a trip to the fort organised to celebrate Siya's birthday ahead of their wedding next month. Investigators now claim he was deliberately pushed and that the incident was part of a pre-planned murder conspiracy.
According to police, Siya, 20, was in a relationship with 22-year-old Chetan and did not want to marry Agarwal, whose match had been arranged by her family. Investigators allege the duo viewed him as an obstacle to their relationship and plotted to kill him.
Police believe the fatal incident was their second attempt. They allege that on June 14, Siya and Chetan took Agarwal to Lohagad Fort and tried to push him into the valley after creating panic over a possible snake sighting. The plan allegedly failed as Agarwal remained unaware of any danger.
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Four days later, Siya allegedly planned another visit to the fort. Investigators claim Chetan approached from behind while Agarwal was near the edge and, along with Siya, pushed him into the gorge.
Family members said the couple had planned a pre-wedding trip to Bali, but Siya allegedly claimed she had lost her passport, forcing its cancellation. Police later alleged that she had deliberately destroyed the passport. Agarwal had also organised an elaborate birthday celebration for her at a luxury resort in Mahabaleshwar and was preparing for a grand wedding in Jaipur.
The case initially appeared to be an accidental fall while Agarwal was taking photographs near the valley's edge. However, police said their suspicions grew after Siya allegedly withheld information during questioning.
A detailed examination of phone records, social media activity and other digital evidence eventually led investigators to conclude that Agarwal's death was not an accident but a planned murder. The case has since been converted into a murder investigation.
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