Police report that the owners of the Goa nightclub escaped to Thailand just hours after the fatal fire
Police said that the owners of a Goa nightclub, where a deadly fire claimed 25 lives on Sunday, left the country just hours after the incident.
Indian authorities confirmed that the two brothers, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, boarded a flight to Phuket, Thailand, shortly after the incident.
Investigators believe the devastating fire was caused by fireworks inside the venue, Birch by Romeo Lane. It is located in a busy nightlife area of Goa, a coastal state popular with both domestic and international tourists.
Most of the deceased were staff members, while four were tourists from Delhi on vacation. Five people are still receiving treatment in the hospital.
Police have sought Interpol’s help to locate and arrest the Luthra brothers. Police said they went to their home in Delhi to raid the premises but discovered they had already left the country.
“This shows their intention to evade police investigation,” Goa police said in a statement. Saurabh Luthra, who is identified on social media as the chairman of the company that runs the club, posted a statement on social media expressing “deep sorrow” but did not disclose his whereabouts.
The post, dated Monday, said, “In this time of grief and immense distress, the management stands in complete solidarity with the families of the deceased and injured and extends its heartfelt condolences.”
It also stated that the “management” would provide “assistance, support, and cooperation” to those affected. His brother, Gaurav Luthra, has not commented publicly. At least four people were arrested shortly after the fire, including the venue’s manager.
The Birch nightclub in Arpora, an area with several high-end nightlife establishments, was packed with customers who had come to hear a Bollywood DJ when the fire broke out in the early hours of the morning. Witnesses described scenes of panic as people tried to escape.
The main part of the venue is built on an island in the middle of a lake, accessed by narrow walkways—a layout that made it difficult for firefighters to control the blaze.
A section of the premises was completely destroyed. Police initially said the fire was caused by an exploding gas canister, but they now believe it was due to a fire in the wooden roof beams.
Many of the victims were migrant workers who had gone to Goa to find work, including four Nepalese nationals.
The dead included two brothers who were due to get married next year and four members of the same family from Delhi. Police said the bodies of all the victims have been returned to their families.
