Pune, June 23:Fresh revelations have emerged in the alleged murder of 25-year-old Ketan Agarwal at Maharashtra's Lohagad Fort, with his family claiming that an earlier attempt on his life took place at the same location just four days before his death.
According to family members, Ketan's fiancée, 20-year-old Siya Goel, allegedly pushed him near the edge of the fort during a visit on June 14. However, he reportedly escaped serious harm after a tree broke his fall. The family alleges that Siya later explained the incident by claiming she had spotted a snake and pushed him to prevent a possible snakebite.
Despite the incident, Ketan returned to Lohagad Fort on June 18. Police now allege that Siya, accompanied by her alleged lover Chetan Chaudhary, executed a pre-planned conspiracy and pushed Ketan into a gorge, resulting in his death.
What was initially believed to be an accidental fall has now become a murder investigation, with Pune Rural Police alleging that the incident was the outcome of a carefully orchestrated plot involving the engaged woman and her alleged accomplice.
According to Ketan's relatives, he was unwilling to revisit Lohagad Fort after the June 14 incident. They claim that Siya repeatedly convinced him to accompany her, saying she wanted to celebrate her birthday with friends at the fort.
The family further alleged that Siya even contacted Ketan's mother and requested her help in persuading him to join the outing. Eventually, Ketan agreed to the trip.
Family members said Ketan had been making special plans for Siya's birthday on June 20 and had also arranged a trip to Mahabaleshwar for the couple.
Investigators suspect that the June 18 visit provided the accused with an opportunity to carry out a murder plan that had allegedly been conceived days earlier.
Ketan's father, Vishal Agarwal, claimed that the accused admitted during questioning that an earlier plan to kill his son on June 14 had failed.
"On June 18, my son died after falling from Lohagad Fort. Initially, we accepted Siya Goel's version that it was an accidental fall. However, her conduct and inconsistencies in her statements later raised our suspicions," he said.
He further alleged that both Siya Goel and Chetan Chaudhary confessed after their arrest and revealed that they had conspired to kill Ketan. According to Vishal Agarwal, the accused told investigators that they had first attempted the crime on June 14 but were unsuccessful, prompting them to bring Ketan back to the fort on June 18.
He also demanded a thorough investigation into whether other members of Siya's family had prior knowledge of the alleged conspiracy.
Relatives claimed that Siya had taken Ketan to Lohagad Fort several times before the fatal incident. They also alleged that the couple's relationship had been strained, though Siya continued to insist that Ketan accompany her on visits to the fort.
Ketan's uncle, Vijay Agarwal, called for the harshest possible punishment for the accused, demanding the death penalty and appealing for justice for the family.
Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill said that Siya Goel and Ketan Agarwal, who were engaged, had visited Lohagad Fort on June 18.
According to Gill, Siya initially informed authorities that Ketan had accidentally slipped and fallen from the fort, leading to his death. However, subsequent investigations uncovered evidence that prompted police to treat the case as a suspected murder, resulting in the arrest of Siya Goel and Chetan Chaudhary.
The investigation remains ongoing as police continue to examine the circumstances surrounding Ketan Agarwal's death and the alleged conspiracy behind it.
