Who Is Saurabh Luthra? 'Owner' Of Goa Nightclub Where Fire Killed 25
Sarpanch identifies Saurabh Luthra as the operator of the Goa nightclub where 25 died, amid investigations into safety failures and disputed construction.
Investigators are working to determine what sparked the devastating midnight fire at Birch by Romeo Lane, a nightclub in Goa’s Arpora area, as early findings point towards serious safety lapses. The incident has not only raised concerns about inadequate fire protocols but also about the legality of the club’s structure, built in the backwaters of the Arpora river allegedly without the required permissions.
CM Orders Inquiry; FIR Filed Against Club Management
Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the blaze, which claimed 25 lives. According to PTI, an FIR has been registered against the nightclub’s owner and general manager, with Sawant confirming that both will be arrested. The FIR, however, has not yet specified any names.
Panchayat Identifies ‘Owner’ Linked to Birch by Romeo Lane
The man who ran the Arpora nightclub has been identified as Saurabh Luthra, the local panchayat sarpanch confirmed to Hindustan Times. A LinkedIn profile under the same name lists him as “chairman at Romeo Lane | Birch | Mama's Buoi”.
Romeo Lane, an established chain of high-end restaurants and bars, has outlets across several Indian cities, including Delhi, along with some international locations. Luthra has not issued any statement so far, and police have yet to arrest the unnamed owner mentioned in the FIR.
A ‘Gold Medallist-Turned-Restaurateur’
The Romeo Lane website describes Luthra as a “gold medalist engineer-turned promising and fastest-growing restaurateur”, recognised for his work in the food and beverage industry. The brand claims to be operating or expanding across 22 cities and four countries. The website also highlights Luthra’s reputation for public relations and his chain’s focus on organic cocktails.
Since 2016, Luthra has reportedly received several awards and recognitions for his restaurants and bars.
Conflicting Accounts on What Triggered the Fire
While police have attributed the fire to a cylinder blast shortly after midnight on Sunday, some eyewitnesses offered a different version. They said the blaze began on the first floor of the club, where around 100 tourists were reportedly dancing when the flames spread.
Roshan Redkar, sarpanch of Arpora village panchayat, told HT that the nightclub was run by Luthra and had been embroiled in disputes involving both landowners and business partners. Complaints had been filed earlier, he added.
Redkar said a panchayat inquiry revealed that the structure lacked a construction licence. “We had issued a demolition notice after following due process, but the notice was stayed following an appeal,” he said.
Built on Eco-Sensitive Land With Limited Access
The club operated on what was once a saltpan—an area classified as eco-sensitive—and fell under the Coastal Regulation Zone, which prohibits construction in the intertidal zone. Its location in the backwaters of the Arpora river also posed a critical challenge: the narrow entry and exit points prevented fire tenders from reaching the spot. Firefighters were forced to park their tankers nearly 400 metres away, PTI reported.
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