Goa Demolishes Luthra Brothers' Shack as Police Hunt Continues Amid Arpora Club Fire Probe

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In a dramatic turn of events, the Goa authorities have begun demolishing the Romeo Lane shack owned by the Luthra brothers, Saurabh and Gaurav, in the wake of a devastating fire at their nightclub-cum-restaurant, Birch by Romeo Lane, which claimed 25 lives over the weekend. The demolition work commenced on Tuesday evening, as confirmed by visuals circulating on social media. The Luthra brothers, who also run the Birch restaurant, fled to Thailand shortly after the blaze, which occurred on Saturday night. According to the Goa Police, they boarded a New Delhi-Phuket flight at 5:30 am on Sunday, just hours after the fire. A lookout notice has been issued, and Indian agencies are now coordinating with Thai authorities to geolocate the duo in Phuket and seek their deportation based on an arrest warrant. The deadly fire at Birch by Romeo Lane, which gutted the 300 sq m property, resulted in the loss of 25 lives, including 20 staff members and five tourists. An FIR has been registered against the Luthra brothers and some unnamed individuals for culpable homicide, endangering lives, and negligent handling of fire or combustible material. Four individuals, including the chief general manager, gate manager, bar manager, and general manager, were arrested on Sunday, while a fifth person, Bharat Singh Kohli, who managed the daily operations of the establishment on behalf of the owners, was arrested on Monday. As the investigation unfolds, the Goa authorities' decision to demolish the Romeo Lane shack has sparked widespread debate, with many questioning the move as a pre-emptive measure to prevent further controversy.