What initially appeared to be a tragic trekking accident at Pune’s historic Lohagad Fort has now emerged as one of Maharashtra’s most shocking alleged murder conspiracies. The death of 26-year-old real estate director Ketan Agarwal has exposed a chilling tale of betrayal, meticulous planning, and a love affair that investigators claim ended in cold-blooded murder.
According to Pune Rural Police, Ketan’s fiancée, 20-year-old Siya Goyal, and her alleged lover, 22-year-old Chetan Chaudhary, carefully plotted his death to avoid the social fallout of calling off an arranged marriage. Police say the two believed staging Ketan’s death as a trekking accident would allow them to escape suspicion while avoiding family backlash.
Investigators claim the conspiracy began weeks before the fatal incident. Digital evidence reportedly revealed that the duo searched online for ways to kill someone without getting caught before deciding that pushing a victim from a height would appear accidental. They allegedly conducted a rehearsal at Lohagad Fort just days before the murder, identifying secluded locations, camera blind spots, and escape routes.
The alleged murder took place on June 18, a day before Siya’s birthday. Police say Siya insisted on a trekking trip with Ketan, while Chetan secretly reached the fort earlier and waited near a less crowded cliff. During a crime scene reconstruction, investigators concluded that Siya gave a pre-decided signal by sitting down while Ketan posed for a photograph near the edge. Moments later, Chetan allegedly emerged from hiding, and together they pushed Ketan into a 400-foot-deep gorge.
After the fall, Siya allegedly screamed for help and portrayed herself as a devastated fiancée, claiming Ketan had slipped while taking pictures. In a move that investigators now believe was part of the cover-up, she even posted an emotional tribute to him on social media the following day—her birthday.
The murder plot began to unravel after Ketan’s family questioned the accident theory. They maintained that he was an experienced trekker who was unlikely to lose his footing so carelessly. Police subsequently examined call detail records and discovered that Siya and Chetan had exchanged more than 2,000 phone calls over the previous six months. CCTV footage near the fort also allegedly placed Chetan at the scene around the time of Ketan’s death.
The investigation has since taken another dramatic turn. During interrogation, both accused have reportedly shifted blame onto each other, with each claiming the other was the mastermind behind the killing.
Given the gravity of the case, the Maharashtra government has transferred the matter to a fast-track court and appointed senior advocate Ujjwal Nikam as Special Public Prosecutor. Police are also questioning Siya’s family members to determine whether anyone else knew about the relationship or had prior knowledge of the alleged conspiracy.
As the investigation continues, what was first believed to be a heartbreaking trekking mishap now stands as one of the state’s most disturbing alleged cases of premeditated murder.
