Luthra brothers escape to Phuket, police intensify probe, check details

Luthra brothers escaped to Phuket

A day after the tragic Goa nightclub fire in Aprora, police launched an international search for Luthra brothers Saurav and Gaurav Luthra after it was confirmed that the owners of Romeo Lane had fled to the Thai city of Birch. According to Goa police, the brothers flew to Phuket just a few hours after the incident.

Police also said that an FIR was registered within minutes of the fire and a police team was sent to Delhi soon after to raid the brothers’ homes. But police officers found them locked, prompting investigators to post legal notices at the locations. The next day, on Sunday evening, Lookout Circulars (LOCs) were issued against both the accused after the Goa Police made the request.

Following investigation, immigration authorities informed authorities that the Luthra brothers boarded IndiGo flight 6E 1073 to Phuket at 5:30 a.m. on December 7, just a few hours after the late-night fire. Police also said the time of their departure indicated their intention to evade investigation.

To strengthen the investigation, the police assigned the Interpol Division of the CBI to find and arrest the brothers abroad. Additionally, Delhi resident Bharat Kohli, who was linked to the nightclub’s operations, was arrested and taken in transit to Goa for further investigation.

What happened in Goa club?

The nightclub reportedly had a narrow entry and exit point and was connected to the main road by narrow lanes. This ended in disaster as fire trucks were unable to reach the facility and were parked approximately 400 meters away. This delayed the firefighting drill and most deaths occurred due to asphyxiation after victims were engulfed in smoke. 25 people died and many were injured in the incident.