'Deeply shaken': Goa nightclub owner Saurabh Luthra breaks silence, vows full support to victims’ families

Luthra and his co-owner, Gaurav Luthra, have been named in an FIR.

The charred interiors of a nightclub, which caught fire early Sunday, are seen in Arpora, Goa, India, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025. Photo | AP

Saurabh Luthra, co-owner of Birch by Romeo Lane in Arpora, North Goa, where a devastating fire killed 25 people on Saturday night has expressed deep grief over the tragedy and assured full support to those affected.

In an Instagram statement posted on Monday, Luthra said the management was “deeply shaken” by the incident and stood in “unwavering solidarity” with the families of the 20 staff members and five tourists who lost their lives.

He added that the club would extend “every possible form of assistance, support and cooperation” to the bereaved and injured.

The blaze erupted at the riverside nightclub, about 25 km from Panaji, with investigations by multiple agencies later revealing serious lapses, including the alleged absence of a fire department NOC and licences issued without adequate documentation.

Fire officials also cited small exit doors and a narrow access bridge that hampered evacuation.

Luthra and his co-owner, Gaurav Luthra, have been named in an FIR. Meanwhile, police have already arrested four senior staffers, chief general manager Rajiv Modak, general manager Vivek Singh, bar manager Rajiv Singhania and gate manager Riyanshu Thakur.