Goa fire: 2 Delhi brothers who own club left for Phuket within 5 hours of tragedy
New Delhi: Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, absconding owners of a Goa nightclub where 25 people were killed in a blaze, are suspected to have reached Phuket in Thailand, an escape executed to perfection within five hours of the inferno, a Goa Police official said on Monday.
As police unsuccessfully continued to hunt for the two brothers on Monday, a raiding party of Goa investigators pasted notices on the walls of their homes in Delhi.
The police have also contacted the CBI to issue an Interpol notice against the owners of the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ club, as the two boarded an IndiGo flight to Phuket at 5.30 a.m. on Sunday to avoid arrest or questioning after the midnight blaze.
A Look Out Circular (LOC) against the Luthra brothers was issued on Sunday evening, hours after they had flown to Thailand around 5 a.m. on Sunday.
On Monday, the Goa Police obtained transit remand of accused Bharat Kohli from Delhi to bring him to the western state where the tragedy took place.
An Anjuna Police Station official said that the post-mortem of the victims was completed on Monday, following which the bodies were handed over to their relatives.
A fire at the club claimed 25 lives, including four tourists and 14 staff members. The identities of seven victims are yet to be confirmed. Six people were injured and are undergoing treatment.
The club ‘Birch By Romeo Lane’ is located near the backwaters of the Arpora River and has a narrow entry and exit, one of the reasons why the victims were unable to leave the inferno in time, said a police official.
The blaze erupted around Sunday midnight at the club in the bustling Baga area that draws large crowds due to its proximity to one of Goa’s most frequented beaches.
Meanwhile, four arrested individuals connected to the case were produced before the Bardez District Court late on Sunday night. The court remanded all four managers to six days of police custody.
They are currently lodged at the Anjuna Police Station lock-up and have been questioned for nearly eight hours regarding the fire incident and the whereabouts of the missing owners.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed distress and announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 50,000 to those injured.
According to police officials, the blaze is suspected to have been triggered by a cylinder explosion inside the premises.