Lohagad Fort death takes shocking turn: Pune-based builder was ‘murdered,’ says police
Twenty-four-year-old Ketan Vishal Agarwal, who died after plunging into a deep gorge at Lohagad Fort in Lonavala, was allegedly murdered, police have told the news
Twenty-four-year-old Ketan Vishal Agarwal, who died after plunging into a deep gorge at Lohagad Fort in Lonavala, was allegedly murdered, police have told the news agency PTI. Agarwal had travelled to Maharashtra's Lonavala to celebrate his fiancée's birthday with her and a male friend. Earlier reports suggested that he had lost his balance while trekking on a damp and slippery surface and fallen into a 400-foot-deep valley at the historic fort on the morning of June 18. However, in a dramatic twist to the case, police now allege that Agarwal's fiancée and her male friend pushed him into the gorge and attempted to portray the incident as an accidental fall. Victim was due to marry in November The deceased, a resident of Gahunje near Pune, was a director in his family's real estate business.
He was due to get married in November this year. According to PTI, Agarwal had visited Lohagad Fort with his fiancée and two close friends to celebrate her birthday when the incident occurred. On June 19, police initially said that Agarwal had lost his footing near a cliff amid strong winds at Lohagad Fort. Investigators stated that he slipped while taking photographs at around 10.30 am and fell nearly 400 feet into the valley. Inspector Dinesh Tayde of the Lonavala Rural Police Station said personnel from the Shivdurg Mitra Emergency Rescue Team, along with police officers, carried out a three-hour operation to recover the body from the rugged terrain. At the time, authorities registered a case of accidental death and launched an investigation. The 24-year-old's body was subsequently sent for a post-mortem examination.
Investigation takes a new turn Police have now detained two individuals and are investigating the matter as a murder case. Officials have declined to disclose further details, citing the ongoing investigation. Similar case in Delhi Earlier this month, police in Delhi arrested a 21-year-old man from Kalindi Kunj for allegedly killing his 18-year-old wife and attempting to pass off her death as suicide. Investigators alleged that he strangled and smothered her with a pillow following an argument over suspicions that she was involved in an extramarital relationship, HT reported. Also Read | Kolkata couple arrested for DU Professor murder, says Police A senior police officer said the accused allegedly murdered his wife in the early hours of Friday and then remained beside her body for nearly 12 hours. He woke up at around 1.30 pm and allegedly attempted to stage the scene to make it appear as though she had taken her own life.
The BriefWire