Fort Murder Plot: The Sitting Signal That Protected the Accused
Police in Pune have revealed that the signal used by Siya Goyal to allegedly indicate her accomplice to push her fiancé Ketan Agarwal off a cliff was also a safety measure to prevent her from being dragged into the fall.
According to officials, Ms. Goyal (20) and Chetan Chaudhary (22) have been arrested for the murder of 25-year-old realtor Agarwal at Lohagad Fort on June 18. The plan involved Ms. Goyal sitting down as a signal for Mr. Chaudhary to push the victim. Police stated that the sitting posture was deliberately chosen to keep Ms. Goyal out of Agarwal's reach, reducing the risk of her being pulled into the gorge if he tried to grab her during the fall.
Investigators added that Mr. Chaudhary took precautions to avoid detection. He travelled from Pune to the fort, a distance of about 90 km, on a scooter rather than a car, fearing that a car's number plate might be recorded at toll plazas. He also changed his appearance at the fort, initially wearing a hoodie, then removing it, and later putting it back on to avoid attention.
On Sunday, police took Ms. Goyal to the fort to reconstruct the crime scene, using a dummy to simulate the push. The reconstruction aimed to establish the sequence of events. Officials noted that the accused had previously visited the fort to identify a suitable spot and had practised the plan.
Ms. Goyal's family—her father, mother, and brother—were questioned on Saturday, and their statements were recorded. Both accused are in police custody, which ends on Monday (June 29), and will be produced in court, with police seeking further remand.
