Pune Fort Murder Case: Police Say Accused Couple First Planned to Delay Wedding Before Allegedly Plotting Fiancé’s Murder
Pune: New details have emerged in the shocking Pune Lohagad Fort murder case, with investigators claiming that the two accused initially planned to injure the victim to postpone his wedding, but later abandoned the idea and allegedly conspired to kill him after considering the earlier plan too risky.
According to police, Siya Goyal (20) and her alleged lover Chetan Chaudhary (22) are accused of murdering Ketan Agarwal (26) by allegedly pushing him into a gorge at Lohagad Fort near Pune on June 18. The couple had become engaged in February and were scheduled to marry in November in Jaipur.
Following the incident, Siya reportedly told Ketan’s family that he had accidentally slipped while trekking. However, the police investigation later uncovered what investigators describe as a carefully planned conspiracy, leading to the arrest of both accused on June 23.
Police say Siya did not want to elope because she feared bringing embarrassment to both families. Instead, she and Chetan allegedly searched for ways to stop the marriage without creating suspicion.
Investigators claim the pair initially discussed staging an accident that would leave Ketan injured, forcing the wedding to be postponed. However, they allegedly dropped the idea after concluding it was too risky and could expose their involvement if he survived.
According to investigators, the urgency to carry out the alleged plan increased as the couple’s scheduled Bali vacation approached. Police believe the accused feared that once Siya and Ketan spent more time together, their own relationship would become more difficult to continue.
The investigation also suggests the alleged conspiracy was planned over several weeks. Police claim the duo researched different methods of killing, watched suspense films, searched the internet, and explored multiple locations before selecting Lohagad Fort because they believed it could make the death appear accidental.
Investigators said the accused allegedly surveyed several locations, including Tiger Point and Visapur Fort, before deciding on Lohagad. They reportedly exchanged photographs of potential sites and searched for a place where evidence would be minimal.
Police further allege that Siya had earlier visited Lohagad Fort with Ketan on May 31 to identify a suitable location. Investigators believe that if an opportunity had arisen during that visit, an attack might have been attempted. They also suspect she later persuaded Ketan to revisit the fort, although his family reportedly discouraged another trip because of their upcoming foreign vacation.
Another significant claim made by investigators is that Siya allegedly took Ketan’s passport during a trip to Mumbai, leading to the cancellation of their planned Bali holiday.
Police also suspect there was an earlier unsuccessful attempt on June 14, when Siya allegedly pushed Ketan near a cliff. According to investigators, he survived after grabbing onto a bush. Police claim Siya then told him she had pushed him to save him from a snake, preventing immediate suspicion.
Investigators believe the alleged motive behind the crime was that Ketan had become an obstacle to Siya and Chetan’s relationship.
Both accused are currently in judicial custody, while the investigation into the case continues.
News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
