Deadly Goa Nightclub Fire: Three Officials Suspended Over Lapses

Panaji: Three senior Goa government officials, including the former Director of Panchayath, were suspended on Sunday over their role in permitting the operation of a nightclub that caught fire last Saturday, killing 25 people. The victims included five tourists and 20 staff members.

The suspended officials are Siddhi Tushar Harlankar, former Director of Panchayat; Dr Shamila Monteiro, former Member Secretary of the Goa State Pollution Control Board; and Raghuvir Bagkar, former Secretary of Village Panchayat Arpora-Nagoa. They are held responsible for granting permission to the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub in Arpora to begin operations in 2023.

Police have also questioned Roshan Redkar, the sarpanch of Arpora-Nagoa Panchayat, who issued the club’s trade licence.