Lohagad Fort Staffer Told Siya That Ketan Had Survived Fall: ‘She Was Scared, Not Relieved’
Ketan’s father Vishal Agarwal had also alleged that Siya showed little visible grief after Ketan’s death and appeared unusually composed when his body was brought home
The investigation into the murder of Pune businessman Ketan Agarwal has thrown up another intriguing detail, with a staff member at Lohagad Fort claiming that the 26-year-old’s fiancée Siya Goyal appeared frightened rather than relieved when informed that Ketan was still alive after falling into the gorge.
According to a report by News18 Marathi, a police official at the fort identified as Rahul said Siya’s screams after the incident on June 18 alerted the authorities, and when they reached the spot, the 20-year-old told them that Ketan had fallen off the cliff while clicking photographs. Rahul added that while Siya was in a state of panic, there were no tears in her eyes.
The team then left Siya at the spot and ventured into the gorge to search for Ketan, only to find him lying in a pool of blood. “He was not moving at all. Though I realised he had passed away, I wanted to reassure the woman with him and thus told her that he was alive. I didn’t want to shock her,” Rahul said.
However, it was Siya’s reaction at the reassurance that raised alarm bells for the police official. Rahul claimed that Siya, instead of being relieved, appeared visibly scared and nervous when informed that Ketan was alive. The account has added another layer to a case that investigators believe was a carefully planned murder disguised as a trekking accident.
Ketan, a director in his family’s real estate business, died after falling into a deep gorge at Lohagad Fort near Pune on June 18. The incident was initially reported as an accident. However, Pune Rural Police later arrested Siya and her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary, accusing them of conspiring to kill him.
The latest revelation echoes earlier observations made by Ketan’s family. His father, Vishal Agarwal, had alleged in media interviews that Siya showed little visible grief after Ketan’s death and appeared unusually composed when his body was brought home.
Investigators believe the June 18 incident was not an isolated act but the culmination of multiple failed attempts to eliminate Ketan. Police have alleged that Siya repeatedly persuaded him to visit Lohagad Fort and that at least three earlier attempts to kill him had failed. In one instance, Ketan reportedly survived after grabbing onto a bush after falling.
The breakthrough in the case came after investigators examined CCTV footage from the fort. Officers noticed a man following Ketan and Siya in a hoodie despite the hot weather. The man was later identified as Chetan Chaudhary. Police allege that he remained hidden at the fort and acted after receiving a pre-arranged signal from Siya.
The probe has also uncovered details about the relationship between the accused. According to investigators, Siya and Chetan had been in regular contact for months and were allegedly involved in a relationship while preparations for Siya’s November wedding to Ketan were underway. Police are also examining claims that Siya had reservations about the marriage and had earlier sought to postpone it.
Police maintain that the case is one of premeditated murder and criminal conspiracy. The alleged reaction described by the Lohagad staff member is now being seen as another circumstance that investigators may examine as they piece together the sequence of events leading to Ketan’s death.