Goa Night Club Fire Incident: CM Promod Sawant Orders Demolition of Luthras' Romeo Lane Shack

Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant has ordered officials to pull down the Romeo Lane beach shack in Vagator, linking the structure to the ongoing probe into the Arpora nightclub fire that killed 25 people on 7 December, as police widen action against the owners and staff of the affected establishment.

The shack is connected to Birch by Romeo Lane, the nightclub-cum-restaurant at Arpora that caught fire around 11.45pm on Saturday. The blaze ripped through about 300 sq m of built-up space. Among the 25 dead were 20 workers and five visitors, including four members of one family from Delhi, police said.

Arpora nightclub fire investigation focuses on Romeo Lane owners

The outlet is owned by brothers Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, who also run the Romeo Lane brand. Goa Police registered a first information report at 9.30am on Sunday, naming the Luthra brothers and other unidentified persons. The case lists culpable homicide not amounting to murder under section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Investigators also included charges of endangering life and personal safety under sections 125(a)(b), along with negligent handling of fire or combustible material under section 287 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Officers said these sections reflect the scale of the Arpora nightclub fire and the alleged lapses in safety measures at the venue.

Police trail in Arpora nightclub fire leads to Thailand flight

Even as the legal case grows, locating the owners has become a priority. According to Goa Police, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra left India for Thailand just hours after the Arpora nightclub fire, taking a New Delhi–Phuket IndiGo flight at 5.30am on Sunday, before investigators could reach them for questioning.

Deputy superintendent of police and public relations officer Nilesh Rane said immigration records helped track their movement. "The Bureau of Immigration at Mumbai was contacted and it was found that both the accused had taken 6E 1073 flight (New Delhi to Phuket) at 5.30am on 7th December," deputy superintendent of police and public relations officer Nilesh Rane said.

Arpora nightclub fire case triggers search, arrests and deportation bid

Police teams visited the Luthras' residence in north Delhi on Monday but reported that no one from the family was found there. Indian agencies are now working with authorities in Thailand to geolocate the two in Phuket, and are seeking deportation on the strength of an arrest warrant, hoping to avoid a longer extradition process.

So far, five people connected to Birch by Romeo Lane have been detained. Four were picked up on Sunday itself: chief general manager Rajiv Modak, gate manager Priyanshu Thakur, bar manager Rajveer Singhania and general manager Vivek Singh. A fifth person, Bharat Singh Kohli, described as someone who was "managing the daily operations of the establishment on behalf of the owners," was arrested on Monday.

The demolition order for the Romeo Lane shack at Vagator, the multiple arrests and the international search for Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra show investigators are treating the Arpora nightclub fire as a serious crime case, with attention on both alleged safety violations and the actions of the owners after the incident.