Pune: What initially appeared to be a tragic trekking accident at a popular hill fort near Pune has now unfolded into an alleged murder conspiracy involving a young woman and her lover, with a seemingly insignificant detail in CCTV footage playing a crucial role in exposing the plot.
Police investigations into the death of 26-year-old businessman Ketan Agarwal took a dramatic turn after officers reviewing surveillance footage noticed a suspicious individual following Agarwal and his fiancée during their trek. The man’s attire immediately caught investigators’ attention. Despite temperatures hovering around 33 degrees Celsius on the day of the incident, he was dressed in a hoodie that concealed much of his face.
According to investigators, the unusual clothing, coupled with the man’s attempts to avoid identification, raised suspicions and prompted a closer examination of the circumstances surrounding Agarwal’s death. Authorities had initially treated the June 18 incident as an accidental fall after his fiancée informed family members that he had slipped while trekking.
As officers continued their inquiry, they discovered footage showing the couple walking through the fort premises while the hooded man remained a short distance behind them. Investigators also observed behaviour they considered unusual, including moments when the woman allegedly appeared to look back toward the man, who then changed his actions as if attempting to avoid attention.
The case gained further momentum when police began speaking with Agarwal’s relatives. Family members reportedly revealed that the woman had previously expressed hesitation about the marriage and had made attempts to delay the wedding. Investigators also learned that she had repeatedly encouraged Agarwal to accompany her to the same trekking location on several occasions before the fatal outing.
During the probe, authorities uncovered information suggesting that an earlier visit to the fort may have involved an unsuccessful attempt to harm the businessman. Investigators allege that during a previous trek, Agarwal narrowly escaped a dangerous fall after managing to grab onto nearby vegetation.
The investigation later expanded to include an analysis of digital evidence. Police examined call records and communication data, which reportedly revealed extensive contact between the woman and a 22-year-old man identified as her romantic partner. Thousands of calls and lengthy conversations between the pair reportedly strengthened suspicions of a pre-planned conspiracy.
Investigators then compared images from social media accounts with the surveillance footage collected from the trekking site. The comparison allegedly helped them identify the hooded individual seen near the couple on the day of the incident.
Based on the evidence gathered, police detained the suspect for questioning. Authorities claim that subsequent interrogation and technical analysis helped piece together what they describe as a carefully planned murder plot motivated by the woman’s desire to avoid marriage while maintaining her relationship with the other man.
Police allege that the accused believed ending the engagement publicly would create social and family complications. Investigators claim this ultimately led them to choose a far more sinister course of action.
Both suspects have since been arrested and booked on charges including murder and criminal conspiracy.
The victim, a Pune-based entrepreneur associated with his family’s real estate business, was reportedly preparing for his wedding later this year. The ceremony was expected to take place in November and extensive arrangements had already been made. Instead, what should have been the beginning of a new chapter in his life has become the centre of one of the region’s most shocking criminal investigations in recent months.
