In a major development in the Goa nightclub fire that claimed 25 lives, the owners of Birch by Romeo Lane fled the country less than an hour after the blaze broke out. According to the Goa Police, brothers Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra boarded a flight to Thailand early on Sunday morning, shortly after the incident in North Goa’s Arpora.
Police officials confirmed that FIRs have been registered against both owners. A Goa Police team visited their residence in Delhi on Monday as part of the investigation, but the brothers were not found at home. Family members were questioned, and the police subsequently verified that both men had boarded IndiGo flight 6E 1073 from Delhi to Phuket at 5.30 am on 7 December. The fire erupted around 11.45 pm on Saturday night, and authorities received the first alert at 12.04 am on Sunday.
Following these developments, the Goa Police issued a Look-Out Circular (LOC) against the Luthra brothers through the Bureau of Immigration on Sunday evening.
“The Bureau of Immigration in Mumbai was contacted, and it was confirmed that both accused had taken the Delhi–Phuket flight at 5.30 am on December 7, immediately after the incident. This clearly indicates their intention to evade the investigation,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police Nilesh Rane.
A senior official added that the Goa Police are coordinating with the Interpol division of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to ensure the swift arrest of both owners.
Meanwhile, Saurabh Luthra issued his first public statement on Instagram on Monday. Expressing grief, he said the management was “deeply shaken” by the loss of lives and stood in “unwavering solidarity” with the victims’ families. He added that the management would extend “every possible support and cooperation” to those affected.
On the ground, police have arrested five individuals linked to the incident, including senior managers and staff. Those arrested have been identified as Rajiv Modak (49), chief general manager; Priyanshu Thakur (32), gate manager; Rajveer Singhania (32), bar manager; Vivek Singh (27), general manager; and Karan Singh, all based in Delhi or Uttar Pradesh.
The investigation continues to determine responsibility for the lapses that led to one of Goa’s deadliest fire tragedies in recent years.
