Ketan Agarwal Murder Case: Grandfather Dies of Cardiac Arrest Weeks After Grandson's Death

The plight of the Agarwal family is a stark reminder of how much emotional trauma can disable a person physically. The 71-year-old founder of Pune’s Success Group, Devichand Agarwal, couldn’t bear the grief of losing his grandson, Ketan.

With that type of traumatic, sudden trauma with an elderly family member, the toll on the body is almost immediate. In the days after the tragedy, family members saw his health rapidly deteriorate until he suffered a fatal cardiac arrest.

Grief in the Public Eye

The double tragedy is a further burden on the family because they have been unable to grieve undisturbed. The family has been caught in the middle of a massive criminal investigation since local realtor Ketan, 26, died after falling into a deep gorge at Lohagad Fort.

A broken Devichand wouldn't suffer quietly before his heart gave out. Even in a visibly weak state, he participated in public candle marches at Pune, shouting for the strictest possible punishment to those who cut short his grandson’s life. He was openly telling those around him that the support of his old age had been stolen from him.

A Case That Rocked the Community

The very criminal case has shaken the local community to its core, considering the deeply disturbing details being revealed by investigators:

From Accident to Murder: At first Ketan’s death was believed to be a tragic trekking accident. The family went to the steep and dangerous cliffside and realised that it was very unlikely that anyone would slip. Further investigation led to the arrest of Ketan’s 20-year-old fiancée and her 22-year-old boyfriend.
The Unravelling Plot: A well-planned conspiracy has been discovered in the investigation. The fiancée silently motioned her boyfriend to ambush Ketan from behind, purposely standing at a distance so that Ketan would not instinctively grab her as he fell, police say. Digital evidence, including recovered messages and carefully avoided toll-plaza cameras, revealed the wedding was never meant to be.

The legal updates provide little comfort to a home that is now totally empty, but the murder trial has already been fast-tracked by the state government. The Agarwal family has had to prepare for a second funeral in less than three weeks, getting ready to bury a broken-hearted grandfather while still seeking answers for his grandson.