Pune Rural Police on Wednesday, 2 July recreated the crime scene in the Ketan Agarwal murder case at Lohagad Fort in Maharashtra, throwing a fibre dummy matching the victim's height and weight into a gorge more than 300 feet deep to reconstruct the sequence of events. The exercise forms a critical part of the ongoing investigation into the death of Ketan Agarwal, a 26-year-old real estate businessman, who was allegedly killed at the fort on 18 June.

Crime Scene Reconstruction

Investigators used a fibre dummy calibrated to the victim's physical dimensions and dropped it into the 300-foot-plus gorge at Lohagad Fort to determine the precise sequence and mechanics of the alleged crime. The exercise was conducted as part of a broader effort to build an airtight forensic record for the case.

On Tuesday, police had separately conducted a 'gait analysis' of the second accused, Chetan Babulal Chaudhary, to establish exactly how and where he moved on the day of the incident. Investigators also recovered the trousers Chetan was reportedly wearing at the time of the crime.

The Accused and Court Custody

Two individuals — Siya Goyal and Chetan Babulal Chaudhary — are accused of murdering Siya's fiancé, Ketan Agarwal, at Lohagad Fort on 18 June. A Maharashtra court at Vadgaon Maval on Monday granted Pune Rural Police five additional days of custody of both accused after their initial police remand expired.

Seeking the extension, investigators informed the court that several crucial aspects of the probe remained incomplete — including the need to recreate the crime scene with both accused present, trace Chetan's movements after the incident, examine phone conversations exchanged following the murder, and recover evidence linked to the alleged destruction of Ketan's passport.

The Passport Angle

According to investigators, Siya Goyal allegedly tore and burnt Ketan Agarwal's passport after stealing it during a stop at a food mall while the group was travelling to Mumbai airport for a planned pre-wedding trip to Bali. The Bali trip was cancelled after Ketan discovered his passport missing at the airport.

Police believe the passport was deliberately removed to prevent the couple from travelling together. The driver who ferried the group has reportedly claimed that Siya returned to the parked vehicle alone during the journey and allegedly took some belongings from inside.

A Video from Weeks Before the Murder

An old video of Ketan Agarwal dancing with both families at a function in Pune on 7 May — barely six weeks before his death — has surfaced online. The video was posted on Instagram by singer Reetu Sharma, who performed at the event.

In the footage, Ketan's father Vishal Agarwal and Siya's parents — Pravin Goyal and Pooja Goyal — are seen celebrating together. Ketan himself is seen dancing joyfully with Siya's father Pravin to the song 'Main nikla gaddi leke' from the film Gadar, while Vishal Agarwal sings 'Yamma Yamma' alongside the performer. The contrast between the festive scenes and the events of 18 June has drawn widespread attention.

As the forensic investigation deepens, all eyes are on whether the crime scene reconstruction and gait analysis yield the conclusive evidence needed to proceed to trial.