The Goa government has intensified action against the Romeo Lane club chain. A fire at one of its outlets killed 25 people. Two other properties of the hospitality company have also been sealed. A team left for Delhi on Sunday to search for property promoters Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, against whom an FIR has been filed, officials said on Monday.
Four accused sent to six-day police custody
A fire broke out at the nightclub 'Birch by Romeo Lane' in Arpora, North Goa, late Saturday night, killing 25 people, mostly club employees. Anjuna police arrested the club's chief general manager, Rajiv Modak (49, a resident of R.K. Puram, New Delhi), general manager Vivek Singh (27, a resident of Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh), bar manager Rajiv Singhania (32, a resident of Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh), and gate manager Priyanshu Thakur (32, a resident of Malviya Nagar, New Delhi). All four were produced in court, where they were remanded to six days' police custody.
Action taken against two other clubs and a dhaba
The North Goa district administration also closed two other clubs and a waterfront dhaba of the Romeo Lane chain, located in Vagator and Assagao. Officials said action was taken against these two properties because they were involved in controversies.
A team sent to Delhi to search for the Luthra family: Chief Minister Sawant
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Sunday that a state police team has gone to Delhi to search for the Luthra family. He stated that both promoters will be arrested as an FIR has been filed against them in connection with the fire. Officials said the main cause of the fire is believed to be fireworks. The nightclub, Birch by Romeo Lane, located in Arpora, about 25 kilometers from Panaji, reportedly lacked a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the fire department. The deceased included 20 nightclub employees and five tourists, four of whom were from Delhi. Most of the deaths were due to suffocation, as the victims were trapped on the ground floor and in the kitchen.