Goa Club Fire: In the latest development in the Goa inferno that killed 25 people and prompted an international chase of owners, police have revealed that the owner brothers used a forged land agreement to get permission to build the nightclub.
According to the police statement given on Friday, the Delhi-based entrepreneurs Suarav Luthra and Gaurav Luthra submitted a forged copy of the land agreement to get permission to open their club in Goa’s Arpora, and they will be interrogated after the Goa police receive their custody early next week.
Hours after a deadly fire engulfed the Birch By Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa’s Arpora area, the owner brothers left the country, taking a flight to Phuket, Thailand. Local police in Thailand arrested the Luthra brothers after due process was undertaken on the Indian side. The Chief Minister of Goa, on Thursday, said that the accused brothers will soon be brought to India.
What Happened At The Goa Nightclub
As many as 25 people, including four from a Delhi family, lost their lives after a catastrophic fire engulfed the nightclub in Goa’s Arpora. 6 others were injured in the inferno that occurred around 11:45 pm last Saturday.
It is anticipated by the police that electrically detonated pyroguns shot off during a dance programme caused the deadly fire. Key safety lapses, including an inadequate number of exits and the use of pyroguns, a thatched roof and stacks of alcohol, acted as catalysts and intensified the fire. The blaze engulfed around 300 square meters of the club.
Out of all 25 killed in the fire, 20 were the club staff, and 5 were identified as tourists.
As per the authorities, when people were dying, and the fog around the real situation was clearing, the Luthra brothers took the flight to Phuket from Delhi at 5:30 am on Sunday, fleeing the country.
Police Await Custody Of Luthra Brothers
“Our initial inquiries have revealed that the nightclub owners submitted a bogus agreement in order to claim ownership of the land when applying for permissions. We are cross-checking the documents as part of the ongoing investigation,” a police official part of the investigation, was quoted by the Hindustan Times on condition of anonymity as the official is not authorised to give media statements.
As the police expect the custody of the Luthra brothers early next week, it said on Friday, “Deportation procedures of Luthra brothers are currently under process and Goa Police is in continuous coordination with the central agencies”.
Goa Nightclub Fire: Owner Brothers Charged With Murder
In the FIR registered on Sunday morning, Goa Police booked the brothers along with other unnamed individuals for culpable homicide not amounting to murder (section 105), for acts endangering the lives and personal safety of others (125 (a) (b)), and for negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter (section 287) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
A civil dispute is already in court between landowners.