Goa Nightclub Tragedy: CM Orders Probe as Four Arrested, Owners Flee Abroad After Fire Kills 25

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced on Monday that four individuals, including key managerial personnel linked to the Birch By Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora village, have been placed under arrest in connection with the catastrophic fire that claimed 25 lives and left several others injured. One of the accused was apprehended in Delhi, while non-bailable warrants have been issued against the principal owners, who, according to police sources, have already fled the country and are currently believed to be in Thailand, prompting coordination with international agencies for their extradition.

A high-level magisterial inquiry has been instituted under the chairmanship of the North Goa District Collector, with a multi-disciplinary committee comprising the Superintendent of Police (South Goa), the Deputy Collector overseeing Fire and Emergency Services, and the Director of Forensic Science Laboratory tasked to investigate every facet of the tragedy. The panel has been given a strict seven-day deadline to submit a comprehensive report that will determine criminal liability, lapses in safety compliance, and any administrative complicity in granting permissions for the establishment.

Recent government inspections had already flagged serious violations of the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification 2011 at the venue, including the unauthorised construction of a permanent reinforced concrete two-storey hexagonal structure of approximately 550 square metres built directly over a water body. The ground floor reportedly housed the kitchen and storage areas, raising immediate concerns about structural safety and fire hazards long before the fatal incident occurred on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.

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In a gesture of immediate relief, the Chief Minister declared an ex-gratia compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased victim and Rs 50,000 for those injured, to be disbursed through the State Disaster Response Fund. Sawant directed the Director General of Police to pursue the harshest possible punitive measures against the owners, managers, and any public officials found to have issued clearances in contravention of existing regulations.

Acknowledging systemic vulnerabilities exposed by the tragedy, Sawant ordered a thorough statewide audit of all nightclubs, restaurants, and commercial venues operating without valid licences or in high-risk zones prone to large gatherings. A dedicated committee under the Revenue Secretary will oversee the exercise and formulate mandatory standard operating procedures encompassing fire safety, occupancy limits, emergency exits, and periodic inspections to ensure such a devastating loss of life never recurs in Goa’s vibrant yet heavily regulated tourism and nightlife sector.

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