Goa authorities on Tuesday evening launched a demolition drive against Romeo Lane, a popular beach shack in Vagator. The establishment is owned by Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, the brothers who also operated the ill-fated Birch club in Arpora. The crackdown follows a direct order from Chief Minister Pramod Sawant after a massive fire at Birch over the weekend resulted in 25 fatalities.
Visuals circulating on social media confirmed that bulldozers had begun dismantling structures at the Vagator site. The administrative action comes amidst a widening manhunt for the Luthra brothers. Police investigations revealed that the duo fled the country shortly after the tragedy struck their nightclub-cum-restaurant, Birch by Romeo Lane, late Saturday night.
Escape to Thailand
According to Goa Police, the accused brothers boarded an IndiGo flight from New Delhi to Phuket at 5:30 am on Sunday. This escape occurred barely hours after the blaze gutted their property. Senior officers stated that a lookout notice had already been issued with the Bureau of Immigration to prevent such an exit, but the accused managed to leave before the alert could stop them.
“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.” — Nilesh Rane, Deputy Superintendent of Police
Indian agencies are now coordinating with Thai authorities to geolocate the duo in Phuket. Officials are seeking their immediate deportation based on an arrest warrant. This approach is being favoured to avoid the more time-consuming extradition process. Police teams had earlier visited the Luthras’ residence in north Delhi on Monday but found the premises empty.
The Arpora Tragedy
The fire at Birch by Romeo Lane broke out around 11:45 pm on Saturday, tearing through the 300 square metre property. The incident resulted in a heavy loss of life, with 25 people confirmed dead. The victims included 20 staff members and five tourists. Among the deceased tourists were four members of a single family from Delhi.
In response to the disaster, Goa Police registered an FIR at 9:30 am on Sunday. The Luthra brothers and several unnamed individuals have been booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Charges include culpable homicide not amounting to murder (Section 105), endangering lives and personal safety (Section 125(a)(b)), and negligent handling of fire or combustible material (Section 287).
Arrests and Investigation
While the primary owners remain absconding, police have made several arrests in connection with the case. On Sunday, four individuals were taken into custody. These included chief general manager Rajiv Modak, gate manager Priyanshu Thakur, bar manager Rajveer Singhania, and general manager Vivek Singh.
A fifth suspect, Bharat Singh Kohli, was arrested on Monday. Investigators described him as the person responsible for managing the daily operations of the establishment on behalf of the owners. The investigation is ongoing as authorities press for the return of the Luthra brothers to face the law.
