Goa nightclub fire: Owners fled to Thailand within hours
What's the story
Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, the owners of the Goa nightclub where a deadly fire killed 25 people, fled to Thailand's Phuket shortly after the incident. The Bureau of Immigration confirmed that they boarded an IndiGo flight at 5:30am on Sunday. Goa Director General of Police Alok Kumar said this shows their intent to evade police investigation.
International manhunt
Interpol alerted, look-out circular issued for Luthras
On Monday, Saurabh Luthra wrote on social media, "The management expresses profound grief and is deeply shaken by the tragic loss of lives resulting from the unfortunate incident at Birch." He also assured "every possible form of assistance, support, and cooperation" to those affected by this tragedy. The Goa Police have now sought Interpol's help to nab the Luthra brothers. A Look-Out Circular (LOC) has also been issued against them by the Bureau of Immigration.
Ongoing investigation
Club staff arrested, suspended officers questioned
Bharat Kohli, who managed the club's daily operations, is in transit remand and will be brought to Goa for questioning. Four staff members of Birch by Romeo Lane have been arrested and remanded in police custody. The Goa Police are also questioning three suspended officers linked to the club fire. A preliminary investigation suggested that electric firecrackers ignited the wooden ceiling, causing the blaze during a Saturday night event attended by over 150 tourists.
Victim identification
Postmortem completed, bodies handed over to families
Meanwhile, the Goa Medical College has completed postmortem examinations of 20 victims and handed over their bodies to family members. The deceased comprised 20 employees, four of whom were from Uttarakhand and three each from Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Nepal. Of the five tourists, four were from Delhi, while one was from Karnataka. Five injured persons are being treated at the government-run Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).