ARPORA, GOA: Goa Police have intensified their investigation into the fatal fire at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora that killed 25 people, arresting four managers and dispatching a team to Delhi to trace the company directors.
The club’s directors, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, who run a multi-city restaurant chain and two other establishments in Goa, are currently being sought by the police. The person in charge of daily operations at the club was arrested on Monday.
Management Arrests and Charges
On Sunday, the police arrested four key management personnel, with a fifth accused identified as Bharat:
- Chief General Manager
- Gate Manager
- Bar Manager
- General Manager
The Luthra brothers have been booked under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including:
- Section 105: Culpable homicide not amounting to murder
- Section 125 (a) (b): Acts endangering the lives and personal safety of others
- Section 287: Negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter
Fatal Safety Lapses Confirmed
A fire department report issued Sunday confirmed that the club, which was operating without a mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC), contained severe safety lapses that led to the high number of fatalities:
| Fatal Safety Lapse | Impact |
| Basement Kitchen | Inadequate ventilation and obstructed means of egress (escape routes). |
| Rapid Fire Spread | Presence of highly combustible interior finishes (wooden panels, plastics) and a high fuel load (stacks of alcohol). |
| Toxic Fumes | Basement configuration led to the rapid accumulation of toxic smoke (carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide), causing most victims to perish within minutes of exposure. |
| Structure | The club featured a thatched roof and inadequate number of exits. |
The report stressed that basements are high-risk zones due to limited ventilation and rapid accumulation of toxic combustion products.
Illegal Construction Allegations
The nightclub, branded as Goa’s first island club, began operations in December 2023 but has been under scrutiny for environmental violations.
- BJP lawmaker Sankalp Amonkar had raised the matter in the Goa Assembly this year, citing illegal construction in an ecologically sensitive area, including back-filling a water body (salt pan) for commercial use.
- A village panchayat had issued a demolition notice to the club in April 2024 after an inquiry confirmed that the land, located on a salt pan, should not have been granted a construction license.
- Authorities have since sealed all three of the Luthra brothers’ establishments in Goa.