Pune police have introduced a sophisticated forensic technique, gait analysis, into the investigation surrounding the death of 25-year-old realtor Ketan Agarwal. The method aims to definitively link suspect Chetan Chaudhary to critical CCTV footage from the day Agarwal died near Lohagad Fort.
Gait Analysis: A Key Forensic Tool
Gait analysis is a specialized forensic technique that meticulously studies an individual's unique walking pattern. This includes examining various factors such as stride length, overall posture, and the specific movements of limbs. In the Ketan Agarwal murder case, this analysis has become crucial because Chetan Chaudhary was observed on CCTV near Lohagad Fort on June 18—the day Agarwal died—wearing a hoodie despite the warm weather, an apparent attempt to conceal his identity.
Investigators plan to recreate the CCTV footage by having Chaudhary wear a similar hoodie and walk through the same location at the fort. This recreated video will then be compared frame-by-frame with the original CCTV footage, allowing experts to determine if the walking patterns match. An officer involved in the case stated, "We have CCTV footage showing him walking while wearing a hoodie to hide his face. The gait analysis will compare his movement in the CCTV footage with the recreated video to determine whether the walking patterns match."
The Ketan Agarwal Case Unfolds
Ketan Agarwal, a director at the family-run real estate firm Success Group and a resident of Pune's Lodha Belmondo in Gahunje, had visited Lohagad Fort with his fiancée, Siya Goyal, on June 18 to celebrate her birthday. Initially, Siya informed police that Agarwal had accidentally slipped and fallen while taking photographs, leading to an accidental death report.
However, the investigation took a dramatic turn days later when police reclassified the case as a murder. Subsequently, Siya Goyal and her friend Chetan Chaudhary were arrested on suspicion of orchestrating Agarwal's death.
Crime Scene Reconstruction and Courtroom Drama
As part of the ongoing investigation, Siya Goyal was brought to Lohagad Fort for a crime scene reconstruction. Police allege that during this reconstruction, she demonstrated how she signaled Chaudhary to push Agarwal off the cliff on June 18, utilizing a human-sized dummy to aid the process.
In court, the case has also seen legal disputes. Advocate Vipul Dushing, representing Siya, challenged the legality of her arrest, citing a lack of valid grounds. Chaudhary's lawyer, Ram Shahane, argued that his client's role in the First Information Report (FIR) was limited and vaguely defined. A separate incident unfolded when a man claiming to be Aashutosh Shrivastav attempted to represent Siya, presenting a vakalatnama (power of attorney) with what he asserted was her signature. However, both Siya and her family confirmed to the court that Vipul Dushing remained her official legal counsel.