Panaji, 16 January (H.S.): Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced on Friday that the government would launch a comprehensive investigation into regulatory violations at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub—devastated by a catastrophic fire last month that claimed 25 lives—dating back to 1999, as the venue had operated under multiple aliases over the years.

Responding to intense opposition queries in the state assembly, Sawant detailed an aggressive enforcement drive against tourism outfits flouting permits, stressing that no influential figures would receive leniency.

The blaze erupted around 11:45 p.m. on December 6, 2025, during a crowded dance event at the Arpora village establishment in North Goa, rapidly engulfing its bamboo-and-palm decor amid narrow access routes that hampered firefighting efforts.

Incident Details and Ownership SagaThe inferno, triggered by pyrotechnics, killed 25 individuals—including four tourists and 14 staff—primarily through suffocation on the ground floor, with rescue operations extending into the next morning.

Authorities issued prior demolition notices in November 2024 for illegal construction on a salt pan near a beach, stayed only after owners' appeals, while owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra faced lookout notices and were detained in Thailand before extradition.

Sawant highlighted the club's history of name changes to evade scrutiny, prompting a retrospective audit of fire safety lapses, unlicensed operations, and coastal zone breaches since 1999. Three senior officials have been suspended, and related properties like a Vagator shack sealed, as the crackdown inspects 86 establishments statewide.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar