A hoodie in the heat: How a ‘trekking accident’ at Lohagad turned into a chilling murder case

The Pune police have arrested a 20-year-old woman and her accomplice, alleging they orchestrated a cold-blooded killing disguised as a tragic fall.

The summer heat in Pune usually keeps the Lohagad Fort trails quiet, but on June 18, the mercury hovered at a sweltering 33 degrees Celsius. Yet, on the CCTV footage from the fort’s ticket counter, one figure stood out for all the wrong reasons: a man wearing a thick hoodie, his face obscured, trailing real estate businessman Ketan Agarwal and his fiancée, Siya Goyal. What appeared to be a routine trek ended in tragedy when Ketan fell from the cliff, but as police began to dig, the "accidental death" narrative quickly crumbled.

Investigators soon discovered that the hooded man was Chetan Chaudhary, a 22-year-old who police claim was in a clandestine relationship with Siya. While Siya initially told Ketan’s family that he had simply slipped during their outing, the digital trail told a far darker story. The presence of the hoodie—an absurd sartorial choice for the season—was the first red flag that tipped off the police. As they tracked the movements of the trio through the lens, they observed Siya repeatedly glancing back, with the hooded man crouching or adjusting his position in perfect, chilling synchronization with her movements.

The anatomy of a plot

The investigation revealed that the murder was not a spontaneous act of violence but a calculated move. Reports indicate that the plot involved more than just the climb; investigators have been scrutinising a planned getaway to Bali and a series of suspicious events that preceded the trip to Lohagad. Ketan’s father has since come forward, alleging that a previous incident involving a "snake story"—where Siya reportedly claimed a snake had attacked them at the same spot—was actually an earlier, failed attempt on his son’s life.

As the pieces of the puzzle aligned, the "accidental death" case was reclassified as murder. The police have focused on the digital footprints, including social media posts that painted a picture of a happy couple, even as authorities allege that the real estate businessman was being led into a trap. For those watching the case unfold, the level of premeditation suggests a cold detachment that has left the local community in shock.

Why it matters

This case serves as a grim reminder of how digital surveillance is revolutionising criminal investigation in India. In an era where perpetrators often hide behind the facade of "accidental" tragedies, the ubiquity of CCTV and the scrutiny of metadata are making it harder to sustain false narratives. However, the tragedy also highlights a disturbing trend of personal betrayals turning fatal, where social media projections of a "soul-finding" romance hid a lethal intent. It reflects the growing need for law enforcement to look beyond the surface of high-profile or "mysterious" deaths, as the line between personal dispute and premeditated crime continues to blur in our urban centres.