Probing the nightclub’s deadly fire, Goa Police have arrested five managers and issued a Look Out Circular for absconding promoters Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra.
BY PC Bureau
December 8, 2025: What began as a vibrant “Bollywood Banger Night” at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in North Goa’s Arpora village turned into a nightmare when a burst of fireworks triggered a ferocious blaze around 11:45 pm on Saturday, December 6, 2025. A chilling video circulating on social media captures the exact moment flames shoot from the ceiling during a performance of the iconic Sholay track “Mehbooba Mehbooba”, sending more than 150 revellers into panic as thick smoke billowed and fireballs rained down from the wooden interiors.
The inferno, which raged for nearly two hours, has claimed 25 lives—including 20 staff members and five tourists—and injured around 50 others, making it Goa’s deadliest fire tragedy in tourism history.
The club, a popular hotspot near the bustling Baga beach belt, was packed with locals and visitors enjoying high-energy Bollywood music. Survivor accounts describe scenes of utter chaos: dancers froze mid-performance as sparks from indoor electric firecrackers—used to enhance the show—rapidly ignited the wooden ceiling, possibly intensified by a gas cylinder explosion in the basement kitchen.
“The fireworks went off right above the stage, and suddenly the ceiling was on fire. People screamed and ran toward the narrow exit, but smoke was everywhere,”
said Riya, a Delhi-based survivor with minor injuries.
Tragically, several victims—including four family members from Delhi (sisters Anita, Kamla, and Saroj Joshi, and Bhavna Joshi’s husband)—ran back inside to rescue a trapped relative during dinner. They suffocated in the smoke-filled basement, which lacked ventilation and proper emergency exits.
How it started to how it spread.
The fire at Birch by Romeo Lane claimed at least 25 lives and left 6 people injured. My heart goes out to all who lost loved ones and those recovering..#GoaFire #nightclub #NightClubFire pic.twitter.com/L4WreKTlMz
— Sapna Madan (@sapnamadan) December 8, 2025
Cause and Safety Lapses Under Scrutiny
Preliminary investigations indicate that indoor fireworks ignited highly flammable wooden structures and decor, with the blaze spreading rapidly across the ground floor and basement. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant confirmed that “electric firecrackers likely caused the fire,” ruling out an initial theory of a standalone cylinder blast, though acknowledging the cylinder may have intensified the flames.
The club’s construction on an ecologically sensitive salt pan, despite earlier demolition notices from the local panchayat and the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority, has drawn widespread condemnation. The venue was operating without a mandatory fire department NOC and had only one narrow entry-exit, which turned into a deadly bottleneck.
Fire tenders, delayed by congested lanes too narrow for large vehicles, were forced to park 400 metres away. Most victims died of smoke inhalation, with bodies found in the suffocating basement where staff and guests fled for safety.
All 25 victims have been identified, including four tourists (from Delhi and abroad), 14 staff members, and seven local employees. The list of deceased includes club manager Rajiv Modak, several performers, and kitchen workers—reflecting the heavy toll on the venue’s workforce.
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Arrests, Probes, and Government Response
Goa Police have registered an FIR for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, criminal negligence, and endangering human life against the club’s owners, managers, and event organisers. Five people have been arrested so far:
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Rajiv Modak,
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Vivek Singh,
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Rajveer Singhania,
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Priyanshu Thakur, and
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Bharat Kohli,
with several apprehended in Delhi late Sunday.
A Look Out Circular has been issued against absconding promoters Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, who run multiple Romeo Lane outlets nationwide. A Goa Police team is in Delhi to track them amid fears they may attempt to flee.
Arpora-Nagoa panchayat sarpanch Roshan Redkar has also been detained for issuing operating permissions despite documented violations.
Three government officials—former Panchayat Director Siddhi Tushar Harlankar, Pollution Control Board Member Secretary Dr. Shamila Monteiro, and Arpora-Nagoa Village Panchayat Secretary Raghuvir Bagkar—have been suspended for approving the club’s 2023 operations without proper clearances.
Chief Minister Sawant, who visited the charred site and the injured at GMCH on Sunday, announced a magisterial inquiry into failures of regulatory compliance, fire prevention systems, and safety preparedness.
“This is a very painful day for Goa. We will ensure strict action against all responsible,” he said, announcing ₹5 lakh compensation for families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief on X, announcing ₹2 lakh ex gratia from the PM National Relief Fund. President Droupadi Murmu and Home Minister Amit Shah also offered condolences, with Shah assuring full central support. Goa Governor P. S. Suryah visited GMCH to meet affected families.
Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi termed the incident a “criminal failure of safety and governance” and demanded a transparent, independent probe.
Two other Romeo Lane properties in Goa have been sealed pending fire safety audits. The tragedy has intensified calls for stricter oversight of Goa’s booming nightlife industry, where lax enforcement has long coexisted with rapid tourism expansion.
