Goa nightclub blaze: Owners left for Thailand hours after incident, say police

PANAJI: The Goa police force on mon said that brothers Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra fled to Phuket in kingdom of thailand on lord's day morn, a few hours after a devastating fire in their night club-cum-restaurant Birch by Romeo Lane in north Goa killed 25 persons.A look-out notice has been issued for them.On Monday, the Goa police failed to find them at their residence in north Delhi and investigation showed that they fled to Phuket at 5.30am from Mumbai.“The Bureau of Immigration at Mumbai was contacted and it was found that both the accused had taken 6E 1073 flight (New Delhi to Phuket) at 5.30 am on 7th December i.e. Immediately after the incident which had taken place around midnight. It shows their intent to avoid police investigation,” deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Nilesh Rane, public relations officer (PRO), Goa Police, said.“The Goa police have taken further steps to coordinate with the Interpol Division of CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) to apprehend both Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra at the earliest,” Rane added.In the first information report filed after the incident on Sunday night, the Goa Police had booked the brothers along with other unnamed individuals for culpable homicide not amounting to murder (Section 105 BNS), for acts endangering the lives and personal safety of others (125 (a) (b) BNS), and for Negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter (section 287 BNS).On Monday morning, Saurabh took to social media to express grief for the incident.“The management expresses profound grief and is deeply shaken by the tragic loss of lives resulting from the unfortunate incident at Birch. In this hour of irreparable sorrow and overwhelming distress, the management stands in unwavering solidarity with the families of the deceased as well as those injured, and conveys its heartfelt condolences with utmost sincerity,” he said via Instagram.“The management further affirms that it shall extend every possible assistance, support and cooperation to the bereaved and affected individuals, as they navigate through this period of immense anguish and adversity,” he added.Emails sent to the company, however, didn’t elicit any response.On Monday, the police made a fifth arrest -- one Bharat Singh Kohli, 49, a resident of Punjabi Basti, in New Delhi who was “managing the daily operations of the establishment on behalf of the owners.”“Investigation is progressing on priority, and further action will follow based on the findings,” the police PRO said, adding that they have issued summons to Government officials involved in issuing various permits and licences to the establishment and have been called for investigation to verify compliance lapses and procedural violations.The Police also issued notices to government officials Siddhi Halarnkar, Shamila Monteiro and Raghuvir Bagkar, who were suspended pending disciplinary proceedings to report to the investigating officer. Police officers, however, confirmed that the trio didn’t show up.The government has constituted a Magisterial Inquiry Committee to “examine sequence of events leading to the incidents, verify the compliances of all statutory licenses and determine the lapses and fix accountability on agencies/ departments responsible and recommend preventive and corrective measures.”The committee comprises collector and district magistrate, North Goa Ankit Yadav, IAS as chairperson, SP South Goa Tikam Singh Verma, IPS, director, Directorate of Forensic Sciences, Ashutosh Apte, deputy director, Directorate of Fire & Emergency Services, Rajendra A. Haldankar, as members.On Monday, the inquiry committee visited the site as part of its probe.