In the aftermath of the devastating fire at Birch by Romeo Lane in Goa that claimed 25 innocent lives, what has shocked many as much as the tragedy itself is not just the scale of the loss, but the conduct of those who owned the establishment.
Instead of stepping forward to take moral responsibility, instead of standing with grieving families and injured survivors, the Luthra brothers—Gaurav and Saurabh—chose to flee the country within hours of the blaze.
This single act, critics say, speaks louder than any statement of condolence issued later on social media.
A Midnight Fire, A Dawn Escape
The fire broke out shortly after midnight on December 6 at the crowded nightclub in Arpora, where people had gathered to celebrate, unwind,d and enjoy themselves.
Among the dead were patrons and staff members—people who trusted the establishment with their safety.
Police investigations revealed that within 90 minutes of the fire, the Luthra brothers booked tickets to Thailand. By 5.30 am on December 7, they had flown out of India.
They were not trapped.
They were not injured.
They were not assisting victims.
They were leaving.
Only after a Look Out Circular, a Blue Corner Notice, passport revocation, and intervention by the Indian Embassy were they detained in Thailand and are now being brought back to India under escort.
Silence Where Responsibility Was Expected
What has angered many observers is not just the alleged safety violations—no fire safety equipment, no emergency exits, expired licences—but the absence of any visible attempt by the owners to face the consequences when disaster struck.
“They did not even pause to ask how many were dead,” said a senior Goa Police official privately. “Their first instinct was escape.”
Even members of their own staff were among those killed. Yet there was no immediate presence of the owners on site, no outreach to families, no acceptance of responsibility—only a lawyer-driven narrative attempting to project them as victims of circumstance.
Money, Power, and Moral Blindness
For many ordinary citizens, the episode has reinforced a painful truth: wealth often becomes a shield against accountability.
Retired engineer Radhey Shyam Trivedi, a daily evening walker, summed up public sentiment bluntly: People like this only understand money.
They don’t realise how people with less wealth but more dignity look at them—with disdain. When tragedy strikes, character shows. And here, the character failed.”
Another elderly resident, Diwakar Shashtri, an astrologer by hobby, offered a philosophical reflection:
Every person—rich or poor—has to pay for his deeds sooner or later. The universe gives back exactly what we give to it. This is not mysticism; it is a simple law of life.”
A Meteoric Rise, A Moral Collapse
The Luthra brothers had built an empire in just over a decade—restaurants, rooftop bars, clubs, boutique hotels across India and abroad.
Media profiles celebrated them as “fastest-growing restaurateurs, “40-under-40 icons,” and “hospitality visionaries.
But when tested by tragedy, the shine of awards and branding faded instantly.
The fire exposed not just structural lapses, but a deeper ethical vacuum—where profit expansion mattered more than safety, and self-preservation outweighed human loss.
Statements After the Fact
Days later, Saurabh Luthra posted an Instagram statement expressing grief and solidarity. But for many, the words rang hollow.
Condolences offered after fleeing the country, after passports were revoked, after arrests were imminent, do little to erase the perception that responsibility was an afterthought, not a principle.
Beyond This Case
This tragedy is no longer just about one nightclub or two owners. It has become a mirror held up to a larger system—where influential people often believe they can outrun consequences, outsource guilt to lawyers, and reduce human lives to legal risk.
But as the arrests, demolitions, sealed properties, andmagisterial inquiriesy show, accountability has a way of catching up.
And as the families of the 25 victims mourn, one question continues to echo:
If those who profit from crowded spaces do not stand by people when disaster strikes, what does success really mean?
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