Two brothers wanted over a deadly nightclub fire in India’s Goa state that killed 25 people have been detained in Thailand, India’s ambassador to Thailand, Nagesh Singh, has confirmed.
Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra — owners of Birch By Romeo Lane, where the blaze erupted early Sunday — fled to Phuket shortly after the incident. Their detention comes a day after a Delhi court refused their request for protection from arrest and the Goa government asked India’s foreign ministry to revoke their passports.
“They will be sent back to India,” Ambassador Singh told the BBC on Thursday.
Through their lawyer, the Luthra brothers insisted they had “never intended to evade the law” and said they would cooperate fully. They committed to returning to India and “submitting themselves to the jurisdiction of the police authorities and the judicial system”.
Saurabh Luthra also posted on social media expressing “profound grief”, saying the nightclub’s management stands in “unwavering solidarity” with families of the victims and will provide assistance.
Investigators believe the blaze was triggered by fireworks set off inside the packed nightclub, located in a popular nightlife district of the tourist-heavy coastal state.
Most of those killed were staff members, while five victims were tourists.
Police raided the brothers’ Delhi residence hours after the incident but discovered they had already left the country, prompting authorities to seek Interpol assistance.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday that six people have been arrested in connection with the tragedy, adding that “more arrests will be made soon”.
Goa — a former Portuguese colony known for its beaches, clubs, and resorts — attracts millions of visitors each year, with the tourism sector now shaken by the high-profile tragedy.
