Goa: The two brothers linked to the tragic fire at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, North Goa, which claimed 25 lives, are reportedly in detention in Thailand, and efforts to deport them to India are underway. Sources familiar with the matter confirmed that Indian authorities, in coordination with Thai officials, are actively processing the deportation so that Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra can face trial in India.

The tragedy occurred on the night of December 6, when a fire broke out at the popular nightclub, resulting in the deaths of 25 people, including 20 staff members and five tourists. Preliminary investigations by the Goa Police revealed that the blaze was triggered by the use of electric fireworks through pyro guns during a dance performance inside the club.

Fleeing Amid the Blaze

Investigation details indicate that the Luthra brothers booked flights to Thailand at 1:17 am on December 7, while firefighters and emergency personnel were still attempting to control the fire and rescue trapped patrons. “Even as the Goa Police and Goa Fire Services were battling to douse the fire and rescue the people trapped inside, the Luthra brothers were preparing to flee the country,” an official said. The timing of the ticket bookings has become a central point in ongoing investigations.

Following their departure from India, the brothers were the subject of an Interpol Blue Corner notice at the request of the CBI. The Ministry of External Affairs is also examining a request from the Goa government to revoke their passports to prevent further attempts at escape.

Legal Proceedings in India

Earlier this week, a New Delhi court rejected an interim plea for protection from arrest for the Luthra brothers. Their legal team argued that they had not fled India but were on a business trip, and maintained that the brothers were merely licensees of the nightclub rather than its owners. The lawyers contended that daily operations were handled by the club’s staff, attempting to absolve the brothers of direct responsibility for the incident.

Meanwhile, five managers and staff members of the nightclub have been arrested in connection with the fire. Authorities continue to probe the circumstances that led to the disaster, including the use of fireworks inside the venue and potential lapses in fire safety compliance.

Government Response and Compensation

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced that a detailed inquiry report into the fire will be completed within eight days. The state government has begun disbursing compensation to the families of the victims and has ordered stricter safety audits across entertainment venues and tourist establishments in North Goa.

The tragic incident has prompted swift administrative action, with the chief minister also ordering the demolition of a beach shack owned by the Luthra brothers at Vagator and pledging to cancel licenses of establishments that fail to meet fire safety norms.

As authorities in India coordinate with Thai counterparts for the brothers’ deportation, law enforcement agencies continue to examine all aspects of the case, including the sequence of events leading up to the blaze, the response of emergency teams, and the accountability of the nightclub’s management.

This high-profile case has also raised questions about the enforcement of safety regulations in nightclubs and other entertainment venues, prompting calls for more stringent monitoring and preventive measures to avoid similar tragedies in the future.