Visuals from Vagator show that the Luthra brothers’ second club remained standing on the beach despite repeated demolition orders, with waves striking the loft during high tide — a situation activists warned was an imminent disaster waiting to happen. The structure, built illegally on government land and without fire or safety clearances, continued to operate even after the High Court and the Department of Tourism directed its demolition.
According to activist Ravi Harmalkar, authorities carried out only superficial demolition while the club was re-erected using wooden planks and continued to serve customers until it was finally sealed on Sunday, after the Birch by Romeo Lane tragedy killed 25 people.
Harmalkar described the Vagator club as a “ticking time bomb” and said another tragedy could easily have taken place. He claimed he filed multiple complaints with the police, the Pollution Control Board, the Coastal Zone Regulatory Board and Town and Country Planning, but no action was taken. He added that he received direct threats from the Luthra brothers while trying to expose safety violations.
The handling of the Vagator property has raised serious questions about who was protecting the Luthra brothers and enabling them to run illegal operations so openly on prime coastline. Harmalkar alleged that the duo enjoyed support from influential figures in the political class, as well as from IAS and IPS officers, allowing them to ignore regulations with impunity.
Meanwhile, Goa Police have issued lookout notices for Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra following the Arpora nightclub fire that killed 25 people. Investigators believe both brothers left Goa within hours of the incident and subsequently left the country. Police teams are coordinating with national agencies and tracking digital indicators to determine their whereabouts.
In an Instagram statement, Saurabh Luthra said the management was “deeply shaken” by the tragedy and expressed grief for the lives lost. However, with mounting questions over safety violations, delayed enforcement and political shielding, the investigation now extends beyond the fire itself to how the Luthra brothers were allowed to operate for so long without accountability.
