Authorities in Goa, India, say the owners of a nightclub in the tourist hotspot fled the country hours after a deadly fire at their club claimed the lives of 25 people, mostly staff, including four Nepali nationals.
The blaze broke out at a club in Arpora, northern Goa, over the weekend and is believed to have been triggered by electrical firecrackers. Most victims died from suffocation in the basement and kitchen areas as the wooden parts of the building caught fire.
Police confirmed that brothers Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra left India for Phuket, Thailand, shortly after the incident. Officers who raided their home in New Delhi found them gone, prompting authorities to request Interpol assistance in locating the duo.
In a social media statement, Saurabh Luthra expressed “profound grief” and promised “every possible form” of help for victims’ families, without revealing his current location.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant confirmed that four people have been arrested in connection with the fire and announced inspections of other nightclubs in the state.
Fires in India are frequently deadly due to overcrowding, poor building practices, and lax enforcement of safety regulations, raising concerns over safety standards in popular tourist venues.
