Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant ordered the demolition of the illegal Romeo Lane Vagator beach shack owned by absconding brothers Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, following the deadly fire at their Arpora nightclub Birch by Romeo Lane on December 6, 2025, which killed 25 people including four tourists and 21 staff, mostly from suffocation.
Authorities demolished about 200 sqm of encroached government beach property on December 9, after prior demolitions in July, August, and a 2024 court order; Interpol issued a Blue Corner Notice against the Luthras, who fled to Phuket hours after the blaze, while partner Ajay Gupta was detained in Delhi and five managers arrested for negligence.
Goa Police and Tourism Department emphasise zero tolerance for safety violations, with lookout notices at the brothers’ Delhi home.
Demolition Enforces Accountability Amid Public Fury
The swift razing of the Romeo Lane Vagator structure on December 9 represents a decisive governmental push to reclaim public land and hold negligent operators accountable in the wake of one of Goa’s deadliest nightlife incidents.
This beach shack, spanning roughly 200 square metres on prime coastal real estate, had been repeatedly rebuilt despite multiple demolition drives first in July, then August, and following a Bombay High Court order in 2024 highlighting a pattern of defiance against Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms.
Sealed just two days earlier on December 7 for glaring lapses in fire safety equipment, the outlet was the flagship venture of the Luthra brothers, whose business empire now lies in ruins under intense scrutiny.
Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte underscored the broader implications during the enforcement action, declaring, “Enforcement actions such as this are part of our ongoing drives against illegal structures that not only violate laws but also damage Goa’s tourism credibility on a global stage”.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant echoed this resolve, announcing that any remaining unauthorised constructions in sensitive beach areas would face the bulldozer without delay, a stance bolstered by growing public anger over the Arpora tragedy.
The demolition, carried out by district authorities under heavy police presence, drew crowds of locals and activists who cheered the move as a long-overdue step towards restoring order in Vagator, a popular north Goa beach known for its vibrant yet often unruly shack culture.
This action not only symbolises physical removal of encroachments but also sends a stark message to tourism entrepreneurs: safety and legality cannot be compromised for profit.
Beyond the immediate wreckage, the operation revealed deeper systemic issues, including how such shacks evaded sustained oversight despite repeated violations. Eyewitnesses described bulldozers methodically dismantling bamboo and thatched structures adorned with neon signs, reducing the once-bustling spot to rubble in hours.
Families of fire victims, watching from afar, expressed a mix of relief and sorrow, with one relative noting the demolition felt like “a small justice amid unbearable loss”. As debris was cleared, officials catalogued evidence of substandard construction, further fuelling investigations into the Luthras’ operations.
Fire Probe Widens: From Overcrowding to International Manhunt
The inferno at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora erupted late on December 6, 2025, trapping revellers in a haze of toxic smoke from faulty electrical wiring and absent fire extinguishers, leading to 25 fatalities four tourists among them and 21 staff members, predominantly young locals succumbing to asphyxiation confirmed by post-mortems.
Overcrowding exacerbated the chaos, with the venue operating well beyond capacity despite prior warnings, a revelation that has ignited outrage across Goa and beyond. Preliminary probes point to blocked emergency exits, inadequate ventilation, and ignored safety audits as key culprits, painting a picture of reckless management prioritising packed dance floors over human lives.
In the chaotic hours post-blaze, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra boarded a 5:30 am flight to Phuket, Thailand, on December 7, prompting Goa Police to issue Look Out Circulars (LOCs), request passport impoundment, and plaster notices at their Mukherjee Nagar residence in Delhi.
Their partner, Ajay Gupta, was apprehended in the capital, while five club managers face charges of culpable homicide for negligence. A British national, Surinder Kumar Khosla who owns the property has also been slapped with notices, as details emerge of a two-year-old demolition order flouted by the venue. The probe has expanded to question suspended tourism and fire officials for granting operational nods amid known violations, widening the net of accountability.
Interpol’s Blue Corner Notice, requested via the CBI, marks an escalation, seeking global information on the brothers’ whereabouts without immediate arrest, a tool often used for fugitives evading extradition. Goa Police teams visited the Luthras’ Delhi home, where family members stonewalled media queries, heightening suspicions of an organised escape.
This international dimension underscores the fire’s ripple effects, from grieving families demanding compensation to tourism stakeholders fearing reputational damage to India’s party capital. As forensic teams sift through charred remains for more clues, the incident exposes vulnerabilities in Goa’s nightlife ecosystem, where seasonal booms often outpace regulatory checks.
Historical Context: A Trail of Violations and Warnings Ignored
The Luthra brothers’ ventures were no strangers to controversy long before the Arpora blaze. Romeo Lane Vagator, their prized outlet, had been demolished thrice in recent years for CRZ breaches, each time resurrecting stronger amid lax enforcement, a cycle emblematic of challenges in balancing Goa’s tourism allure with environmental safeguards.
Birch by Romeo Lane itself operated under a shadow, with reports of prior safety complaints dismissed, including overcrowding during peak season when Arpora transforms into a neon-lit hub drawing thousands nightly. This fire follows a string of Goa incidents electrical mishaps at shacks, stampedes at parties prompting calls for a safety overhaul since 2024.
Public memory recalls the 2024 court-mandated demolition that the Luthras sidestepped, rebuilding covertly until the current crackdown. The brothers, Delhi natives who expanded into Goa’s hospitality scene, built an empire on beachfront appeal but at the cost of compliance, as evidenced by sealed records of fines for noise pollution and encroachments.
Stakeholders, from fisherfolk displaced by shacks to ethical venue owners, have long advocated for digitised licensing and real-time inspections. Post-fire, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences, while local NGOs push for victim funds, weaving this saga into Goa’s broader narrative of growth versus governance.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This heartbreaking toll of 25 lives lost in suffocating flames stands as a grim indictment of profit-driven negligence that treats human safety as an afterthought, demanding not just demolitions but a cultural shift towards ethical tourism.
While Chief Minister Sawant’s bulldozer justice and Interpol’s pursuit reflect commendable urgency, they must evolve into enduring reforms mandatory tech-driven audits, empathy-driven compensation for bereaved families, and dialogue between regulators, businesses, and communities to prevent recurrence and foster harmony in Goa’s vibrant yet fragile ecosystem. True coexistence thrives when kindness guides development, ensuring nightlife pulses with joy, not jeopardy.
