ARPORA/GOA: A deadly fire at a North Goa nightclub has spiraled into a nationwide manhunt after investigators said its Delhi-based owners fled to Thailand hours after the blaze. As questions mount over accountability and regulatory lapses, Goa’s government has begun sealing associated businesses while police widen the inquiry into one of the state’s most troubling recent tragedies.
A Night of Celebration Turns Into Catastrophe
The blaze that tore through Birch, a newly opened nightclub in Arpora, a coastal village in North Goa, erupted shortly after midnight on Sunday an inferno that authorities believe may have been triggered by a cooking-gas cylinder blast. By the time emergency teams arrived, large sections of the venue were engulfed, trapping workers and late-night visitors inside.
Among the 25 people killed were three sisters Anita, Kamla, and Saroj Joshi and Vinod Kumar, the husband of one of them. Their bodies were flown to Delhi, where cremations were held on Monday, underscoring the far-reaching human toll of a fire that began as a festive evening but ended in devastation. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced the formation of a four-member magisterial inquiry committee to determine the cause of the fire and identify lapses in safety and oversight.
A Rapid Exit to Thailand and a Growing Police Investigation
Hours after the tragedy, investigators say, the nightclub’s owners Delhi businessmen Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra boarded an IndiGo flight from Delhi to Phuket, departing at 5:30 a.m. on December 7. Records from the Bureau of Immigration, obtained by Goa Police, place their departure just five hours after authorities received the first distress call about the blaze.
A lookout circular had already been issued by Sunday evening, but when Delhi Police visited the Luthras’ residence the following day, the brothers were nowhere to be found. Goa Police later confirmed they had left the country, prompting coordination with the Central Bureau of Investigation’s Interpol wing to trace them abroad.
“Their travel immediately after the incident shows intent to avoid police investigation,” deputy superintendent of police Nilesh Rane said, adding that efforts were underway to secure their return.
Investigators have also detained a Birch employee, Bharat Kohli, in Delhi and transported him to Goa for questioning as the probe expands to include staff, vendors and operational partners
Scrutiny Widens to a Larger Hospitality Chain
The fire has drawn attention to Romeo Lane, the upmarket chain of restaurants and bars owned by the Luthra brothers and operating in several Indian cities. Goa authorities moved swiftly to seal two properties linked to the group one a beach shack, the other a club space in Vagator and Assagao amid concerns over licensing compliance and safety standards.
The BJP-led state government’s actions reflect mounting political pressure following the high casualty count and the revelation that the owners had fled within hours of the incident. Officials say additional inspections of commercial nightlife venues in the region will follow, as the state confronts long-standing criticisms of enforcement gaps in its booming but unevenly regulated hospitality sector.
Public Mourning and the Owners’ Statement of Grief
Even as the search for the Luthras continues, one of the brothers issued a statement on Instagram expressing “profound grief” over the tragedy. Saurabh Luthra wrote that the management was “deeply shaken by the tragic loss of lives” and pledged support to the victims’ families “in every possible form.”
