On June 18, 2026, a 26-year-old real estate director named Ketan Agarwal fell nearly 400 feet into a gorge at Lohagad Fort, a popular trekking destination near Lonavala in Maharashtra's Pune district. For several days, it was treated as exactly what it appeared to be: a tragic accident. Ketan had reportedly slipped while taking photographs near the cliff edge during a trek with his fiancée. Strong winds, an experienced trekker losing his footing, a fall few survive. It was a story Pune had seen before in the Sahyadris, and one that should have ended there.
It did not end there. Within days, what had been logged as a trekking accident became, according to Pune Police, a meticulously planned murder, one allegedly carried out by the very fiancée who had organised the trip, with the help of a man she was secretly involved with.
The People Involved
Ketan Agarwal was the son of Vishal Agarwal, a well-known developer in the Pimpri-Chinchwad real estate sector, and worked as a director within the family business. He was engaged to 20-year-old Siya Goyal, a resident of Pune's Bibwewadi area, whose family also runs a business in the city's Market Yard locality. The two were reportedly due to be married later this year, with preparations for the wedding already well underway. Also named in the case is 22-year-old Chetan Chaudhary, a Pune resident from Kondhwa, who police allege was in a romantic relationship with Goyal at the time of the engagement.
It is important to note that, as of this writing, Goyal and Chaudhary stand accused; they have not been convicted of any crime, and the allegations below reflect the police investigation and public statements made by Pune Rural Police, not a court finding.
What Police Say Happened
According to Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill, who led the investigation, doubts were raised almost immediately by a detail that might otherwise have gone unnoticed: Ketan was, by all accounts, a seasoned and experienced trekker. A slip resulting in a fatal fall did not sit easily with investigators familiar with his outdoor experience. That single inconsistency was enough to keep the case open rather than close it as routine.
Investigators say technical evidence, including call detail records and internet data of those present, combined with witness statements and information from confidential sources, revealed discrepancies in the account given to police. The picture that emerged, according to officials, was this: Goyal had invited Ketan to Lohagad Fort under the premise of celebrating her birthday with friends. Chaudhary, according to police, made his own way to the location separately.
Perhaps the most striking detail to emerge from the investigation is that this was reportedly not the first attempt. Days earlier, on June 14, the couple had visited the same fort, after an earlier trip to Bali had been cancelled, and police allege Goyal pushed Ketan during that visit as well, only for him to grab hold of a nearby tree and avoid falling. Ketan's father, Devichand Agarwal, told police that Siya had explained the push away at the time by claiming she had spotted a snake and was trying to save him. Four days later, on June 18, with Chaudhary now present, the second attempt did not fail.
The Signal, and the Cover-Up
Police allege that on the morning of June 18, the trio reached an isolated point near the fort's edge, and that Goyal used a pre-arranged signal, reportedly the act of sitting down, to indicate to Chaudhary the moment to act, while positioning herself safely out of reach so she would not be pulled down with him. Ketan was pushed into the gorge.
What followed, according to investigators, was a deliberate effort to avoid detection. Chaudhary is alleged to have travelled roughly 90 kilometres to and from the fort on a scooter rather than a car, specifically to avoid being caught on toll plaza cameras, a route the police say they have since corroborated, having seized the scooter as evidence. He is also alleged to have changed clothing at the scene: arriving in a hoodie, removing it before the act, and putting it back on before leaving, apparently to alter his appearance on any incidental footage. During subsequent questioning, both accused reportedly admitted to having visited the fort previously to scout the location and rehearse the plan, though police say they have not yet identified every site used in these alleged rehearsals.
Investigators have indicated that the official version given immediately after Ketan's death, that he slipped while photographing the view amid strong winds, began to unravel once his family raised concerns and the broader timeline, including the failed June 14 attempt, came into focus.
A Case That Has Gripped Maharashtra
The case has drawn significant public attention, not only because of the dramatic circumstances but because of who was involved. Both families are described as prominent figures in Pune's business community, and a wedding reported to be valued in the crores had already entered its planning stages. What was set to be a major social event in the city's real estate and business circles instead became the backdrop for one of the more closely watched criminal investigations in the region this year.
Pune Rural Police confirmed the arrests of Goyal and Chaudhary, with the Superintendent personally overseeing the case given its sensitivity and visibility. The investigation remains ongoing, and further details, including the full scope of the alleged planning and any additional individuals who may have known about the plot, are still being established by authorities.
For now, what is known is this: a young man who by all accounts was looking forward to his wedding in November did not live to see it, and the people closest to him at the moment of his death are the ones now facing scrutiny for causing it. The rest, as the case proceeds through the courts, remains for the legal process to determine.
References:
- Gulf News – Bride-to-Be, Lover Held for Alleged Murder of Groom in Pune Cliff Fall: https://gulfnews.com
- Outlook India – Pune Lohagad Fort Murder: Woman Had Signalled Lover to Push Fiancé Off Cliff: https://www.outlookindia.com
- Deccan Herald – Lohagad Fort Murder: Accused Made Failed Bid to Kill Fiancé Earlier: https://www.deccanherald.com
- WION – Shocking Twist in Lohagad Death Case: https://www.wionews.com