PUNE: What was meant to be a birthday celebration for his fiance ended in tragedy when a 26-year-old groom-to-be fell nearly 400 feet to his death while posing for photographs at Lohagad Fort in Maharashtra’s Pune district on Thursday, police said.The deceased, Ketan Vishal Agarwal, a resident of Gahunje and director in his family’s real estate firm, had gone to the historic hill fort with his fiance and two close friends to celebrate her upcoming birthday.According to police, the group had climbed the fort on Thursday morning when Agarwal ventured near a cliff to click photographs against the misty landscape. At around 10.30 am, he allegedly lost his balance amid strong winds and fell into a deep valley.Inspector Dinesh Tayde of Lonavala Rural police station said strong winds were blowing in the area at the time of the incident.Tayde said, “Agarwal’s wedding was planned for November, and it is learned that the families had booked a palace in Udaipur, Rajasthan, for the wedding.”After receiving information, police, along with members of the Shivdurg Mitra Emergency Rescue Team, launched a rescue operation. It took nearly three hours to retrieve the body from the steep valley and dense vegetation.The body was sent for post-mortem, and an accidental death report has been registered. Further inquiry is underway, police said.Lohagad fort associated with Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. It is one of the 12 forts in Maharashtra listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.(With PTI inputs)
