Goa Police have launched an international manhunt for nightclub owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra after discovering that both fled to Phuket, Thailand, just hours after the devastating Birch by Romeo Lane fire that killed 25 people. Investigation records show the brothers boarded IndiGo flight 6E 1073 from Mumbai at 5:30 am on December 7 — roughly five hours after the blaze erupted around midnight.
An FIR was registered immediately after the two went missing, and police teams were dispatched to their Delhi residences, where raids were conducted. When both were found to be absconding, a legal notice was pasted on their property. A lookout circular was also issued the same day.
Despite being on the run, Saurabh Luthra posted a statement on Instagram expressing “profound grief” and “heartfelt condolences” over the deaths, claiming the management stood in solidarity with victims and their families.
Authorities have now escalated efforts to bring the brothers back to India. Goa Police are coordinating with the Interpol wing of the CBI for their prompt apprehension.
Meanwhile, new information has surfaced suggesting a pattern of violations by the brothers. According to local activist Ravi Harmalkar, the Luthras operated another nightclub on Vagator beach that openly violated fire and safety norms and encroached on government land. Harmalkar said repeated complaints were filed with the police, Pollution Control Board, Coastal Zone Regulatory Board, and Town and Country Planning authorities, but no action was taken. He further alleged receiving threats from the accused and claimed the brothers enjoyed proximity to powerful political circles in the state.
With the death toll at 25 and outrage continuing to grow, the search for Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra has become the focal point of the investigation into one of Goa’s worst commercial fire disasters.
