- Lohagad Fort, a UNESCO site, faces negative attention after Pune realtor Ketan Agarwal's murder
- The Vinchu Kada section is now called Siya Point after the accused in the murder case
- Locals and historians demand the fort's name not be linked to the crime or altered
Lohagad Fort stands as a testament to the valour of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and is one of the forts included in the UNESCO World Heritage list. However, the historic fort is now allegedly facing disrepute following the murder of 26-year-old Pune realtor Ketan Agarwal.
The 'Vinchu Kada' section of the fort has started being referred to as 'Siya Point'. Siya Goyal, 20, and her alleged lover Chetan Chaudhary, 22, are the two main accused in the murder case. Local residents, history enthusiasts, and admirers of Shivaji Maharaj have demanded that such references be stopped.
Locals have demanded that the image of Lohagad Fort, a site with centuries of history and a witness to Shivaji Maharaj's valour, should not be tarnished by such a crime. They said that this incident is creating a negative perception of Lohagad Fort among people across the state. Historians argue that since the crime was committed by specific individuals, it is entirely inappropriate for it to impact the fort's history or heritage.
Admirers of Shivaji Maharaj, along with office-bearers of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, have demanded that locals, guides, and tourists refer to the spot only as 'Vinchu Kada'. Furthermore, they have urged the state government to install a signboard displaying the name 'Vinchu Kada' at the site.
In Marathi, 'Vinchu' means 'scorpion', and 'Kada' means 'mountain peak or cliff'. When viewed from above, the geographical formation of this section resembles a scorpion's stinger, hence the name 'Vinchu Kada'. It is a long, narrow extension of Maharashtra's famous and historic Lohagad Fort. Historically, it was constructed to strengthen the fort's defences. It served as a 'watchtower' or surveillance point.
In a major development in the murder case, police on Thursday formally moved to conduct a lie detector (polygraph) test on the accused Siya and Chetan. The police have initiated the legal process required for the test, and the public prosecutor has officially verified that the procedure is underway.
