Goa nightclub fire: Absconding Birch restaurant owner Saurabh Luthra issues first statement after tragedy

A fire tragedy took place Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub of Goa in the early hours of Sunday which claimed 25 lives. As per latest update in the investigation, fifth accused in the case has been arrested. Absconding owner of Birch restaurant Saurabh Luthra issued first statement after the tragedy.

In a post on Instagram stories, Saurabh Luthra said, “The management expresses profound grief and is deeply shaken by the tragic loss of lives resulting from the unfortunate incident at Birch. In this hour of irreparable sorrow and overwhelming distress, the management stands in unwavering solidarity with the families of the deceased as well as those injured, and conveys its heartfelt condolences with utmost sincerity. The management further affirms that it shall extend every possible form of assistance, support and cooperation to the bereaved and affected individuals, as they navigate through this period of immense anguish and adversity.”

• State police in Delhi arrested Bharat, a resident of Delhi's Sabzi Mandi area, who was responsible for running daily operations at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub. As per ANI report, he is being taken to Goa.
• "The arrested persons include Rajiv Modak, Chief General Manager; Vivek Singh, General Manager; Rajveer Singhania, Bar Manager; and Priyanshu Thakur, Gate Manager. FIR has been registered against the owners, Saurav Luthra and Gaurav Luthra," ANI quoted Goa Director General of Police (DGP) Alok Kumar as saying. All four individuals were brought before the court and were ordered to be held in police custody for six days.

• Goa Police issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against the club owner Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra linked to the fire case.
• Goa Police on Monday said that probe into the lapses and procedural violations has been launched, government officials involved in issuing various permits and licences to the establishment have been called for investigation.
• According to Hindustan Times report, all victims of the fire have been identified by the state government, including 5 tourists and 20 staff members.
• The tourists who died in the deadly fire were from Delhi and Karnataka. Four Nepali citizens were also killed in the fire tragedy.
• Death due to asphyxiation was the major cause of the high death toll after wooden parts of the club caught fire.
• "An offence has been registered at Anjuna Police Station u/s 105, 125, 125(a), 125(b), 287 r/w 3(5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The senior Police officers of Goa police are camping at Anjuna police station and closely monitoring the investigation. Postmortem examination of the 17 bodies held. Five bodies have been handed over to the relatives for final religious rites," Goa police said.
• Out of the six injured persons receiving medical treatment in Goa hospital, one was discharged.

• Initial probe suggested that a cylinder blast caused the fire, but eyewitnesses informed HT that the use of cold pyro guns during dance performances triggered the flames. Fireworks from the device struck the thatched bamboo roof and fibre sheets that caused the fire.
• Goa's Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday said that the restaurant-cum club violated fire safety norms and ordered an inquiry into the matter. Four people were arrested on the same day.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh for the next of kin of the victims and ₹50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
• Goa government on Sunday issued an order suspending “Dr Shamila Monteiro, Director of Fisheries and the then Member Secretary of the Goa State Pollution Control Board, Saligao.”

Directorate of Vigilance in its order dated 7 December said, “It is further ordered that during the period that this order shall remain in force, the headquarters of Dr. Shamila Monteiro shall be the Department of Personnel, Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa and the said Dr. Shamila Monteiro, shall not leave the headquarters without obtaining the previous permission of the Competent Authority.”