Luthra brothers detained in Thailand

Published on: 11 Dec 2025 at 04:16 PM

Published by: Fact News

Fact News Service

Chandigarh, December 11: Delhi brothers Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, who fled India after a fire at their nightclub in Goa left 25 people dead, have been detained in Thailand. They are seen with their hands tied and holding their passports as they stand next to local police officers in two separate photos.

The restaurateurs from Delhi, who own the Romeo Lane chain with outlets in 22 cities and four countries, fled to Phuket in Thailand hours after a deadly fire ravaged ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’, their nightclub in north Goa’s Arpora village. The brothers face a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and negligence. Indian authorities will now press for their deportation to bring them to trial in Goa. According to sources, a team of Indian officials have flown to Thailand and will bring back the Luthras within 24 hours.

Twenty-five people were killed, and six others were injured after a fire broke out at the Goa nightclub late on Saturday night. That evening, the club was hosting a musical night and about 100 people, most of them tourists, were having a great time. Videos show a dancer and musicians performing on Bollywood chartbusters. Electric firecrackers were used during the performance, and this likely caused the fire.

What turned the nightclub into a death trap was the heavy use of flammable material in the decor and the shocking violation of fire safety norms. No functional fire extinguishers or safety alarms were found on the premises. Also, the access road is so narrow that fire engines could not pass through and had to be parked nearly 400 m away. This delayed the rescue operation and made the firefight very challenging.