Arpora: A day after a deadly fire at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, North Goa, claimed 25 lives, authorities escalated action against the club’s owners and management. So far, multiple arrests, look-out notices and sealing of related establishments have been implemented.
One of the owners of the club, Saurabh Luthra, on Monday, December 8, issued a public statement expressing grief as investigations widen into the alleged safety lapses and licensing violations.
Police say the fire exposed serious regulatory failures and has prompted scrutiny not just of the nightclub chain but also of officials who permitted it to operate.
Have a look at his statement here:
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Instagram screengrab
In a statement shared on Instagram, Luthra said the management was “deeply shaken by the tragic loss of lives” in the incident at Birch. “The management expresses profound grief and is deeply shaken by the tragic loss of lives resulting from the unfortunate incident at Birch,” he said, adding that the organisation stood in solidarity with the families of those who died or were injured and would extend “every possible form of assistance, support and cooperation”.
Meanwhile, the Goa police confirmed the arrest of five people in connection with the fire. Four were taken into custody on Sunday, while the fifth accused, an operations manager handling daily affairs of the club, was arrested in Delhi on Monday. Those arrested include the club’s chief general manager Rajiv Modak, general manager Vivek Singh, bar manager Rajiv Singhania, gate manager Riyanshu Thakur and operations manager Bharat Singh.
Police have also issued look-out notices against absconding owners amid allegations that the club’s licence was granted without mandatory documentation.
Lapses, sealing of properties amid probe
Investigators said most victims died due to suffocation after being trapped on the ground floor and in the kitchen during the blaze. The fire is suspected to have been triggered by electric firecrackers used during a dancer’s performance at the packed venue. Officials allege the nightclub did not have fire department clearance.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said preliminary information indicated that fire safety norms were not followed. He has directed Chief Secretary V Candavelou and Director General of Police Alok Kumar to identify government officials who allowed the club to function despite violations.
As the crackdown intensified, authorities sealed a beach shack and another club linked to the Romeo Lane chain. A state police team has reached Delhi to trace property promoters Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, against whom a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered.
