Residents of the upscale Lodha Belmondo township in Gahunje gathered for a solemn silent march and candlelight vigil to demand strict justice for 25-year-old Ketan Agarwal, a prominent local realtor who was allegedly murdered on June 18, 2026. Initially reported as an accidental fall from the 400-foot-deep cliffs of Lohagad Fort near Lonavala, a police investigation revealed a chilling pre-planned conspiracy involving Ketan’s fiancée, Siya Goyal, and her lover, Chetan Chaudhary.
The community, alongside Ketan’s devastated family, has collectively appealed for capital punishment, leading the Maharashtra government to move the case to a fast-track court under Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam.
A Shocking Betrayal Shakes Gahunje
The serene, affluent enclave of the Lodha Belmondo township on the outskirts of Pune was replaced by profound grief and collective anger on Saturday evening. Hundreds of residents stepped out of their homes to participate in a silent march and candlelight vigil, moving through the township’s lanes holding placards demanding justice.
Ketan, a 25-year-old alumnus of Babson College and a director at his family’s real estate firm, Success Group, was scheduled to be married in a grand celebration in Udaipur this coming November. Instead, his neighbors and loved ones gathered to mourn an unimaginable tragedy. Long-time neighbors noted that the family shared excellent relations with everyone in the society, remembering Ketan as incredibly kind, cheerful, and well-liked. Losing him under such horrific circumstances has deeply disturbed the entire community.
From Tragic Accident to Pre-Planned Murder
The vigil followed a series of dramatic revelations by the Pune Rural Police that completely altered the trajectory of the case. On June 18, Ketan’s family was informed that he had slipped and fallen into a 350-to-400-foot gorge at Lohagad Fort while taking photographs ahead of his fiancée Siya Goyal’s 20th birthday.
Suspicion arose immediately after the recovery of his body, as Ketan’s father noticed an eerie lack of grief from Siya. Forensic analysis of mobile phones and subsequent interrogations revealed that Siya and her friend, 22-year-old Chetan Chaudhary, had been in a relationship for over a year. Unwilling to go through with the arranged marriage, the duo allegedly plotted to eliminate Ketan.
The investigation brought to light multiple failed attempts on Ketan’s life leading up to the fatal incident. Earlier in the month, a scheduled pre-wedding photoshoot in Bali was abruptly canceled at the Mumbai airport when it was discovered that Ketan’s passport was suddenly missing. Just four days before his death, on June 14, Siya allegedly pushed Ketan during a trek at the same fort.
He managed to balance himself by grabbing a bush, and at the time, Siya masked the action by hugging him and claiming she had seen a snake. Undeterred, Siya insisted on returning to Lohagad Fort on June 18. Investigators later cracked the case wide open after uncovering inconsistencies regarding that day, notably the presence of Chetan Chaudhary at the scene disguised in a heavy hoodie despite the sweltering 33°C heat.
Demands for Capital Punishment
During the candlelight march in Pimpri-Chinchwad, emotional testimonies from Ketan’s immediate family laid bare the deep sense of betrayal they felt. The Agarwals and the Goyals had known each other for nearly 40 years, a long-standing bond that had insulated Siya from any initial suspicion.
Ketan’s grandfather, Devichand Agarwal, broke down repeatedly during the march, expressing that they had been betrayed by their own people. He urged the police to investigate everyone involved and demanded that the two accused be given capital punishment.
His father, Vishal Agarwal, questioned the absolute senselessness of the crime. He shared his heartbreak over setting out to arrange his son’s marriage and bring a daughter-in-law into the family, only to lose his child instead. He publicly questioned why, if she didn’t like their son, she didn’t simply say no on the very first day. Ketan’s mother, Rakhi Agarwal, echoed the demand for the death penalty for both Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary, stressing that accountability must extend to anyone who may have enabled the crime.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The tragic loss of Ketan Agarwal highlights a disturbing and recurring social pathology regarding the extreme consequences of forced conformity to family-arranged marriages. While investigators probe the exact financial or personal motives, the underlying reality points to a young woman who chose a path of calculated violence over open communication, presumably due to pressure or fear of rejecting a long-standing family alignment.
The public outrage displayed by the residents of Lodha Belmondo is entirely justified. When relationships are maintained under a veneer of celebration while harboring malicious intent, it fractures the foundational trust of a community. The Maharashtra government’s decision to assign this case to a fast-track court is a necessary and welcome step. Justice must not only be swift but exemplary, sending a clear message that societal or familial pressures can never justify or excuse cold-blooded violence.
Family members of Ketan Agarwal, along with residents of their housing society, held a candlelight march to pay tribute to him and demand justice.
— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) June 28, 2026
Carrying placards bearing slogans such as "Justice for Ketan," the participants urged the authorities to ensure a fair, speedy, and… https://t.co/JXIXb40Xzv pic.twitter.com/qTNCuTOmwq
