LONAVALA, MAHARASHTRA — Sunil Gaikwad, a member of the rescue team that recovered the body of 25-year-old Pune realtor Ketan Agarwal from Lohagad Fort, has shared chilling details about the recovery operation. The case, initially reported as an accidental fall on June 18, is now being treated by police as a cold-blooded murder.
The victim’s fiancée, Siya Goyal (20), and her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary (22), are currently in police custody for allegedly pushing Agarwal off the cliff during a planned trek.
Chilling Discovery and a “Calm” Fiancée
According to Gaikwad, the recovery team faced a grueling task retrieving the body from the steep terrain.
“On reaching Lohagad Fort, we discovered a deceased boy with severe head injuries, including a crushed skull, and multiple bruises on his limbs. He had died. We retrieved the dead body and carried it out through the jungle, though we had some difficulty lifting it on the steep slope…” Gaikwad stated.
The rescue worker also pointed out a highly unusual detail regarding the behavior of the victim’s fiancée. While the extraction operation took place between 10:30 AM and 1:30 PM on June 18, Siya Goyal reportedly showed no signs of panic or grief. “Siya was present during the retrieval but appeared calm and not overtly emotional, unlike the other onlookers who were loudly distressed,” Gaikwad revealed.
Investigation Widens: Parents and Matchmaker Questioned
The Rural Lonavala Police have significantly ramped up their investigation to determine if others were complicit in the crime or aware of the motive.
- The Fiancée’s Parents: Siya’s parents, Pooja and Praveen Goyal, have arrived at the Lonavala Police Station for formal questioning.
- The Brother’s Stance: The accused’s brother, Sahil Goyal, was interrogated on Friday. He reportedly told detectives that he was completely unaware that Siya was unhappy about her upcoming marriage to Ketan.
- The Matchmaker’s Account: Police also interrogated Narendra Mittal, the family matchmaker who brought the couple together. Mittal stated his involvement ended at the introduction, adding that both Ketan and Siya appeared well-mannered and respectful, and that he had no inkling of Siya’s secret relationship with Chetan.
Ketan and Siya were engaged in February 2026, with a wedding scheduled for November. Recent findings also indicate that prior to the murder, Siya had allegedly stolen Ketan’s passport to deliberately sabotage a planned trip to Bali. The investigation remains ongoing.
Tags: Chetan Chaudhary, Ketan Agarwal, Pune Fort murder, Pune Lohagad fort murder, Siya Goyal