Goa Nightclub Fire Probe: Employee Detained in Delhi

New Delhi/Panaji: An employee of a Goa nightclub where a devastating fire killed 25 people has been detained by Goa Police in Delhi as the investigation into the tragedy intensifies. The detained man has been identified as Bharat Kohli, a resident of the Sabzi Mandi area in Delhi.

Police sources said Bharat was responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the nightclub and his name surfaced during the questioning of one of the club’s managers. He will be taken to Goa for further interrogation.

The fire broke out late Saturday night at Birch by Romeo Lane in Arpora, North Goa. Of the 25 people who lost their lives, 20 were employees of the nightclub and five were tourists, including four from Delhi.

So far, Goa Police have arrested the club’s chief general manager Rajiv Modak, general manager Vivek Singh, bar manager Rajiv Singhania, and gate manager Riyanshu Thakur in connection with the case.

Meanwhile, Saurabh Luthra, one of the owners of the nightclub, expressed grief over the tragedy in an Instagram post on Monday and assured full support to the victims’ families. Luthra, who has been named in the FIR along with co-owner Gaurav Luthra, said the management was “deeply shaken” by the loss of lives and would extend every possible assistance, support and cooperation to the bereaved families and the injured.

“In this hour of irreparable sorrow and overwhelming distress, the management stands in unwavering solidarity with the families of the deceased and those injured,” Luthra said in his post.

Investigations by multiple agencies have revealed serious irregularities at the nightclub, including the alleged absence of a fire department No-Objection Certificate (NOC) and the issuance of licences without proper documentation. Fire officials said that the narrow exit doors and the narrow bridge leading to the club, located on the backwaters of the Arpora river, made escape extremely difficult for those trapped inside during the blaze.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Sunday that a special police team had been sent to Delhi to nab the Luthra brothers as part of the ongoing probe.

The tragedy has triggered widespread outrage and raised serious questions about safety lapses and regulatory failures in high-risk public entertainment venues in the state.