Pune, June 24, 2026: What was first thought to be an accidental death during a trek near Pune has now become a shocking murder case. Investigators uncovered an alleged plot involving a young woman and her boyfriend to kill her fiancé.
Ketan Vishal Agarwal, 26, was a director in his family’s real estate company and the son of well-known Pune builder Vishal Devichand Agarwal. He died after falling into a deep gorge at Lohagad Fort. His body was found on June 18, 2026, in dense vegetation on the western side of the historic fort. Experienced trekkers and local volunteers recovered his body from a valley about 350 to 400 meters deep. Doctors at a nearby hospital pronounced him dead on arrival.
After an extensive investigation, Pune Rural Police arrested Ketan’s fiancée, Siya Praveen Goyal, 20, from Bibwewadi, along with her alleged partner, Chetan Babulal Chaudhary, 22, from Kondhwa. They face charges of murder and criminal conspiracy under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. A court has ordered both suspects to be held in police custody until June 29.
Ketan and Siya became engaged in February 2026, and plans for their wedding were in full swing. Their families had arranged a lavish ceremony at a luxury palace in Udaipur with an estimated budget of ₹17 crore, including two chartered private jets for guests. However, investigators found that Siya had allegedly been in a secret relationship with Chetan for nearly a year and did not want to go through with the marriage.
According to police, the alleged conspiracy began weeks before the murder. On May 31, Siya reportedly took Ketan to Lohagad Fort with the intent to harm him, but the attempt failed. In the first week of June, the couple was set to travel to Bali for a pre-wedding photoshoot, but Siya allegedly hid Ketan’s passport at Mumbai airport, forcing them to cancel the trip.
Police say that on June 14, Siya convinced Ketan to go back to Lohagad Fort and then pushed him near a cliff. He survived because a tree broke his fall, and Siya later claimed he panicked after seeing a snake.
Despite Ketan’s reluctance to return, Siya allegedly contacted his mother on June 18 and persuaded her to encourage him to join a midnight birthday outing. Investigators stated that Chetan followed the group separately and was already near the fort. As Ketan and Siya climbed up, Chetan trailed them, and the two allegedly pushed Ketan into the gorge.
Initially, Siya told police that Ketan slipped while taking photographs due to strong winds. However, suspicions from the victim’s family led Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill to order a separate investigation by the Local Crime Branch.
Investigators later identified Chetan through CCTV footage that showed him following the couple’s vehicle while wearing a hoodie despite the warm weather. Authorities stated that call records, digital evidence, and social media activity revealed communication and planning between the suspects before the incident.
UPDATE — June 24, 2026
New details emerging from the police investigation have shed further light on how Ketan Agarwal’s murder was planned and how investigators cracked the case.
The Hoodie That Gave Chetan Away
When officers reviewed CCTV footage from cameras installed near the Lohagad Fort ticket counter, they noticed a man following Ketan and Siya at close range. His appearance immediately stood out. He was wearing a heavy hoodie with the hood pulled so far down that his face was completely hidden, and he had a headset on over the hoodie — all of this in 33 degrees Celsius heat. Police confirmed the temperature at the fort on June 18 was verified at 33°C, making the attire deeply suspicious. In a second clip, officers observed Siya suddenly turning back while, at the same moment, the hooded man abruptly sat down — a pattern that suggested the two were in active communication.
Officers matched the figure’s visible features and body language with social media photographs and profiles to positively identify him as Chetan Babulal Chaudhary.
Thousands of Calls — The Digital Trail
A detailed analysis of Call Detail Records (CDRs) and digital communication data revealed the depth of the conspiracy. Police stated they found thousands of calls exchanged between Siya and Chetan over an extended period, with several individual conversations lasting for hours. This volume of contact, combined with the CCTV identification, allowed investigators to establish a clear premeditated conspiracy between the two accused.
Why They Chose Murder Over Elopement
During interrogation, Chetan disclosed a critical detail about the motive. Police asked him directly why the couple did not simply run away together instead of killing Ketan. According to Chetan, Siya was not willing to elope because she believed it would bring disgrace and dishonour to her family. Eliminating Ketan was therefore a calculated decision — not an act of impulse — made by both accused together.
Earlier Warning Signs Overlooked
Investigators also learned from Ketan’s uncle that Siya had previously expressed doubts about the marriage and had once asked whether the wedding could be postponed by an entire year. Questioning of Ketan’s sister Sanjana and other family members further revealed that Siya had made repeated efforts to get Ketan to visit Lohagad Fort. After the May 31 visit failed and a June 4 plan was blocked by Ketan’s mother, the June 14 attempt — where Siya pushed him and he survived by grabbing a bush — was the second in what police now confirm was a planned series of murder attempts.
Victim Lured to Fort Four Times in 20 Days
Ketan’s father has disclosed that Siya Goyal took Ketan to Lohagad Fort multiple times in the weeks leading up to his death — including four visits within a span of just 20 days. Police allege she used planned pretexts, including pre-wedding photoshoots and birthday celebrations, to bring him repeatedly to the location she had identified for the killing.
June 14 Attempt: Survived by Grabbing a Bush
Police now confirm that five days before his death, Siya allegedly pushed Ketan near a cliff edge at Lohagad Fort on June 14. He survived only because he managed to grab onto a bush and stop his fall. When Ketan questioned what had happened, Siya allegedly raised a false alarm claiming she had seen a snake nearby — a distraction that reportedly prevented further suspicion at the time.
June 18: The Murder — Both Accused Acted Together
On June 18, Siya lured Ketan back to the fort, reportedly framing it as a midnight birthday outing. Chetan Chaudhary arrived separately to avoid detection. As Ketan stood at a viewpoint admiring the landscape, both accused allegedly attacked him together and pushed him approximately 400 feet into the gorge below. The plan was to make the death appear to be an accidental slip during a trek.
How the Two Accused Met
Investigators state that Siya and Chetan first met at a Diwali party last year. Siya runs a bakery business, while Chetan is in the dried fruit trade. The two allegedly stayed in regular contact following that meeting and are suspected of having discussed the plan over several months.
Motive: Unwanted Arranged Marriage
Police say the murder plot was driven by Siya’s unwillingness to proceed with the arranged marriage to Ketan. Investigators allege she was under family pressure to accept the proposal and had grown close to Chetan Chaudhary in the months prior.
Phone records recovered by Pune Rural Police have added a critical layer of evidence to the Lohagad Fort murder case, revealing the extent of communication between accused Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary in the months before Ketan Agarwal’s death.
2,004 Calls, 238 Hours in Six Months
Investigators examined call detail records covering January to June 2026 and found that Siya and Chetan exchanged 2,004 calls during this period, with a combined talk time of 238 hours — an average of nearly 40 hours per month. Police say the volume and frequency of communication significantly strengthened suspicions about the nature of their relationship and their alleged involvement in the murder.
According to police sources, the contact between the two accused spans nearly three years in total, with the six-month window before the murder being the most intensively examined.
Multiple Channels of Contact
Investigators found that the communication was not limited to regular phone calls. Siya and Chetan were also in contact through WhatsApp calls and FaceTime conversations, according to police sources. An investigating officer stated that several individual conversations lasted for hours, and that technical analysis established a close connection between the two, pointing towards what police describe as a well-thought-out conspiracy.
Shared Business Location
Investigators also found a physical connection between the accused. Chetan operates a shop in Pune’s Market Yard area — the same locality where Siya’s family business is based. Police have not yet stated whether this proximity was deliberate, but it is being examined as part of the broader investigation.
Both accused are currently in seven-day police custody. Investigators are examining technical, forensic, and digital evidence as they build the complete timeline of events.
DEVELOPING STORY — We will update as more details emerge
Disclaimer: The information in this report has been compiled and presented from multiple published media sources and publicly available accounts. TVS has not independently verified all facts stated herein. This article was processed and structured with AI assistance (Claude by Anthropic) for editorial purposes. The case is actively under investigation and judicial proceedings; details may change. All persons named are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.
