Pune (Maharashtra) [India], June 30 (ANI): Lonavala Rural Police have closed Lohagad Fort as part of the ongoing investigation into the Ketan Agarwal murder case, officials said.
The fort was completely shut for visitors on Tuesday, with tourists already present at the site being evacuated as police carried out investigative procedures linked to the case.
The site had earlier also been temporarily closed when police recreated the crime scene with the accused, Siya Goyal, as part of the investigation process.
The latest closure comes as Lonavala Rural Police prepare to conduct a forensic gait analysis of accused Chetan Chaudhary, who investigators believe was seen walking near the Lohagad Fort gate on the day of the incident. The exercise aims to verify the suspected presence of the accused by matching his walking pattern with available CCTV and video footage. Gait analysis is a forensic technique used to identify individuals based on their unique walking style captured in visual evidence.
Police will also carry out a fresh crime scene reconstruction involving Chaudhary at Lohagad Fort, as only a reconstruction involving co-accused Siya Goyal has been conducted so far. During the exercise, investigators are also expected to attempt recovery of the clothes allegedly worn by Chaudhary on the day of the incident.
Earlier, Pune Police had taken Siya Goyal to Lohagad Fort to recreate the sequence of events using a dummy matching the victim’s weight.
Meanwhile, the Vadgaon Maval court on Monday remanded accused Siya Goyal and Chetan Chaudhary to police custody till July 3 in connection with the case.
Advocate Vipul Dushing, appearing for Siya Goyal, said the prosecution had sought seven days of police custody, but the court granted custody till July 3 after hearing submissions from both sides.
The investigation has also led to the recovery of evidence linked to Chaudhary. On Sunday, Lonavala Rural Police seized the accused’s two-wheeler, which was allegedly used to travel from Pune to Lohagad Fort on the day of the incident. Police have also recovered the hoodie and headphones he was allegedly wearing at the time.
Ketan Agrawal died after falling from Lohagad Fort near Pune on June 18, following which a case was registered. Lonavala Rural Police suspect that the prime accused, Siya Goyal, who was engaged to Agrawal, was unwilling to marry at this stage of her life and was allegedly under family pressure to go ahead with the marriage.
Siya Goyal and her friend Chetan Chaudhary were arrested on June 23 and remain in police custody as the investigation continues.
Following the incident, the Maharashtra government approved the setting up of a fast-track court for the case and appointed senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Ujjwal Nikam as the Special Public Prosecutor.
The decision was taken after the victim’s father met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Pune and sought speedy justice. The Chief Minister assured the family that strict action would be taken against the accused and that the case would be fast-tracked. (ANI)
Related reading
