Goa nightclub's co-owner Saurabh Luthra vows support for families of 25 fire tragedy victims

The blaze broke out in Birch by Romeo Lane club, located in North Goa`s Arpora area, some 25 kilometres away from Panaji. File pic  

Saurabh Luthra, the co-owner of the nightclub where a fire broke out late on Decemeber 6 killing 25 people, expressed "profound grief" over the incident and vowed to provide assistance, support, and cooperation to the victims' families in "every possible form", news agency IANS reported.

Luthra made the announcement in a post on social media on Monday. The post comes at a time when police teams have been sent from Goa to Delhi to arrest the management of the 'Birch by Romeo Lane' club, located in North Goa's Arpora area, some 25 kilometres away from Panaji.

The victims comprised 20 employees of the nightclub and five tourists, including four from Delhi. The five injured were undergoing treatment at the government-run Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), PTI reported.

Saurabh Luthra has been named in the FIR in connection with the incident along with co-owner Gaurav Luthra.

"The management expresses profound grief and is deeply shaken by the tragic loss of lives resulting from the unfortunate incident at Birch," Saurabh Luthra's Instagram post read.

He further noted that the management had affirmed 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", IANS reported.

The police investigations have so far indicated multiple irregularities at the entertainment venue, including the absence of a 'no-objection certificate' from the fire department and the issuance of a licence without proper documentation.

As per reports, the police may also issue a lookout circular against all the accused in the case as a precautionary measure.

Fire officials, while briefing about the incident, had said that earlier the club, located on the backwaters of the Arpora River, had small exit doors connected only by a narrow bridge, which severely hampered the escape of people during the blaze.

While the club's Chief General Manager Rajiv Modak, General Manager Vivek Singh, Bar Manager Rajiv Singhania, and Gate Manager Riyanshu Thakur were arrested, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday said that a police team had left for Delhi to nab the other accused.

(With inputs from IANS)