After a massive fire at the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub in Goa claimed the lives of 25 people, including tourists and staff, the police on Sunday registered an FIR against its owners, manager, and event organisers.
The police also detained the sarpanch of Arpora-Nagoa panchayat for questioning shortly after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant ordered a magisterial inquiry into the fire.
“Police registered an FIR against Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, the owners of Birch by Romeo Lane Nightclub, under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita,” a senior police officer was quoted as saying by PTI.
Three senior officials of the Goa government, including the then Director of Panchayat, were suspended for their role in allowing the facility to start operations in 2023, a senior officer said.
The suspended officials include Siddhi Tushar Harlankar, who was then Director of Panchayat, Dr Shamila Monteiro, who was then Member Secretary of the Goa State Pollution Control Board, and Raghuvir Bagkar, then Secretary of Village Panchayat Arpora-Nagoa.
25 people, including 14 staff members and four tourists were killed after a massive fire engulfed the nightclub after midnight. The club, which opened last year, is a popular party venue in Arpora village, about 25 km from the state capital, Panaji.
According to officials, most deaths were caused by suffocation, as the victims got trapped on the ground floor after the fire broke out, while three people succumbed to burn injuries.
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