A 26-year-old realtor’s death at a Maharashtra hill fort was first written off as a trekking accident. Weeks later, Pune Rural Police say it was no accident at all — and the prime accused is the woman he was due to marry.
The Ketan Agarwal murder case has become one of the most closely followed crime stories in the state, and the question everyone is asking is the same: why would his fiancée allegedly want him dead? Here is what the police have actually alleged so far — clearly separated from what is still under investigation.
🔴 Important: These are allegations made by the police. The case is under investigation and nothing has been proven in a court of law. Everyone named here is, in law, presumed innocent until a court decides otherwise. We are reporting what credible outlets have attributed to the police — not stating it as established fact.
What Police Allege Happened
According to police accounts reported by India TV News and The Statesman, Ketan Agarwal — a 26-year-old Pune-based realtor and a director at his family’s real estate firm, Success Group — died at Lohagad Fort in Pune district on 18 June 2026. He was reportedly believed to have fallen during a trek.
Investigators later treated the death as a murder. Police allege that Ketan was pushed off a cliff at the fort, and have arrested two people: his fiancée Siya Goyal (20) and Chetan Chaudhary (22), described in police accounts as her associate. Both are named as accused in the case.
The Alleged Motive — What Investigators Have Said
This is the part everyone is searching for, so here is the careful version. Per police, the alleged motive was that Siya no longer wanted to go ahead with the marriage, which was reportedly scheduled for November.
India TV News reported a further detail attributed to investigators: that Siya told police she did not want to marry Ketan because he wore a wig, and that she allegedly feared calling off the wedding would disgrace her family — leading, police allege, to a plan to have him killed instead of calling it off. Investigators have described the case as a planned conspiracy.
🔎 Reality check: The “wig” detail comes from a single outlet’s report of what police say Siya told them. It is an alleged statement relayed through investigators, not a proven fact or a confession tested in court. Treat the motive as the police theory at this stage — the investigation is ongoing.
The Investigation So Far
- Crime-scene recreation: On 28 June 2026, Pune Rural Police took Siya Goyal to Lohagad Fort to reconstruct the alleged sequence of events at the spot where Ketan died. Co-accused Chetan Chaudhary was not taken for the recreation, per India TV News.
- Police statement: Pune Rural Police SP Sandeep Singh Gill told ANI that the accused were taken to the fort, to the spot where the incident occurred, to recreate the scene.
- Family questioned: The Statesman reported that police questioned Siya’s brother, Sahil Goyal, for nearly 10 hours as part of the probe before allowing him to leave.
- Push for speed: Ketan’s father, Vishal Agarwal, reportedly met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking acceleration of the case and appealing for witnesses to come forward.
Why This Case Has Gripped Everyone
The reason this story has travelled so far is the gap between how it began and what police now allege. A young realtor from a well-known business family, a death first logged as a trekking mishap, an upcoming wedding — and then the allegation that the person closest to him was behind it. It is the kind of “accident that wasn’t” twist that turns a local report into a national talking point.
But the talking point is also a real family’s tragedy and a live legal process. That is exactly why the facts here are kept to what police and credible outlets have actually said — and why the rest is labelled as allegation, not verdict.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Ketan Agarwal?
Ketan Agarwal was a 26-year-old realtor from Pune and a director at his family’s real estate company, Success Group. According to police accounts reported by India TV News and The Statesman, he died at Lohagad Fort in June 2026, in what was first believed to be a trekking accident.
Who is Siya Goyal and what is she accused of?
Siya Goyal, 20, was Ketan Agarwal’s fiancee and is the prime accused in his alleged murder. Police have arrested her and a co-accused, Chetan Chaudhary, 22. The allegations are under investigation and have not been proven in court; both are presumed innocent until a court rules.
What is the alleged motive in the Ketan Agarwal case?
Per police, the alleged motive was that Siya no longer wanted to go ahead with the marriage, reportedly set for November. India TV News reported investigators saying she cited Ketan wearing a wig and feared calling off the wedding would disgrace her family. This is the police theory, not a proven fact.
How did Ketan Agarwal allegedly die?
Police allege Ketan was pushed off a cliff at Lohagad Fort in Pune district on 18 June 2026. It was initially believed he had fallen during a trek, but investigators later treated the death as a planned murder, according to reports by India TV News and The Statesman.
Have Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary been arrested?
Yes. Both Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary have been arrested and named as accused. On 28 June 2026, Pune Rural Police took Siya to Lohagad Fort for a crime-scene recreation. The case remains under active investigation as of late June 2026.
Is the Ketan Agarwal murder case proven?
No. These are allegations made by the police, and the case is under investigation. Nothing has been established in a court of law, and everyone named is presumed innocent until proven guilty. We will update this story as verified developments emerge.
What happens next in the investigation?
Police have conducted a crime-scene recreation and questioned family members, including Siya’s brother. The matter is expected to proceed through the legal process. Any charges will have to be tested in court, where the accused can present their defence.
The Bottom Line
As things stand, the “why” behind the Ketan Agarwal case is a police allegation: that his fiancée Siya Goyal allegedly did not want to marry him and, rather than call off the wedding, allegedly conspired to have him killed at Lohagad Fort. Investigators have arrested two people and reconstructed the scene, but the case is still being built — and none of it has been tested in court.
This is a developing story. We will update it only with verified developments from the police and the courts — and until a verdict comes, the accused remain innocent in the eyes of the law.
Sources: India TV News and The Statesman, citing Pune Rural Police (SP Sandeep Singh Gill via ANI). Details are as reported as of 28 June 2026 and may change as the investigation proceeds.
