New Delhi, Dec 10 – The Goa Police have arrested Ajay Gupta, one of the four owners of the nightclub “Birch by Romeo Lane”, where a deadly fire took 25 lives. Gupta’s arrest brings the total number of suspects in the case up to six, officials said on Wednesday.
Earlier, the law‑enforcement agency had issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) for Gupta and the other proprietor, Surinder Kumar Khosla, as part of an intensified search linked to the blaze. The LOC was released after a team could not locate Gupta at his Delhi home. He was later tracked down in the capital and detained. Police said he will soon be formally booked as the necessary legal steps are completed to bring him to Goa.
Two other owners—brothers Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra—remain at large. Authorities have issued a blue‑corner INTERPOL notice in an effort to locate them. Investigations suggest the Luthra brothers fled to Phuket, Thailand, within five hours of the fire. After unsuccessful searches on Monday, detectives visited their Delhi residences and pasted notices on the walls. Records indicate that the pair boarded an IndiGo flight to Phuket around 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, seemingly to evade arrest or questioning after the fire that broke out near midnight. An LOC for the brothers was issued later that Sunday evening, several hours after they had already departed for Thailand.
So far, five other people connected to the incident have been arrested: club chief general manager Rajiv Modak, general manager Vivek Singh, bar manager Rajiv Singhania, gate manager Riyanshu Thakur, and employee Bharat Kohli.
The massive fire at the club, located near the backwaters of the Arpora River, claimed 25 lives—including four tourists and 14 staff members. Seven victims’ identities remain unconfirmed. Six others were injured and are receiving treatment.
Police officials noted that the club’s narrow entry and exit points were a major factor that trapped many guests during the inferno. The blaze ignited at about midnight on Sunday, just as crowds were gathering near the bustling Baga area, close to one of Goa’s most frequented beaches.
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