Maharashtra's historic Lohagad Fort has witnessed a sharp rise in tourist footfall following widespread media coverage of the alleged murder of Pune-based realtor Ketan Agarwal, with many visitors arriving out of curiosity to see the reported crime scene rather than the fort's historical attractions.
Located around 50 km from Pune, the 10th-century hill fort, associated with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, has traditionally been a popular trekking and heritage destination. However, officials told NDTV that visitor numbers have increased by more than 50% since news of the murder emerged.
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Many tourists are visiting to see the alleged crime scene, prompting debate over growing "dark tourism" at the historic site. Dark tourism is the practice of visiting places associated with death, tragedy, suffering, disasters, or other disturbing historical events. People visit these sites to learn about history, pay respects, understand human experiences, or reflect on past events - and not necessarily for entertainment.
Holiday footfall has risen from around 1,000 to nearly 1,500 visitors, while weekday attendance has increased from about 400 to over 600.
According to police, Ketan Agarwal was allegedly pushed into a 400-foot gorge on June 18 by his fiancée, Siya Goyal, and her alleged lover, Chetan Chaudhary. Investigators claim the duo had planned the murder in advance and chose the isolated cliff because Siya allegedly did not want to marry Ketan but feared the social consequences of ending the engagement.
The investigation gained momentum after CCTV footage reportedly showed a suspicious man wearing a winter hoodie and headset despite the hot weather, helping police identify the alleged conspiracy.
Several tourists said they had specifically travelled to Lohagad Fort to see the spot linked to the alleged murder after following extensive media coverage. Some visitors said they even altered their trekking plans to visit the fort, while guides reported that many tourists were asking to be shown the exact location associated with the case. The cliff area has also reportedly been informally dubbed "Siya Point" by some visitors and social media users.
"Actually, we had planned to go trekking at Visapur Fort. But this tragic incident involving Ketan Agarwal has been making news across Maharashtra. So, we wanted to see what actually happened and where it happened. We were curious and wanted to see the actual spot where he was murdered. But since they closed the fort early today, we can't go up anymore," a tourist told NDTV.
Authorities temporarily closed the fort earlier than usual on Tuesday to allow police to recreate the crime scene as part of the ongoing investigation.
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