Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has ordered the immediate demolition of Romeo Lane Vagator, the flagship coastal outlet of the controversial Luthra brothers. The move marks another significant crackdown following the devastating fire at their Arpora nightclub, Birch by Romeo Lane, which killed 25 people and left several others injured.
According to an India Today report, senior officials confirmed that a Blue Corner Notice has been issued to track down Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, who fled Goa soon after the inferno and are believed to have left the country. Goa Police have posted a lookout notice at their residence in Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar and notified the local police station. Officers who visited the home reported that family members declined to speak to the media.
According to reports, the Goa government now plans to demolish all establishments operated by the Luthra brothers across Vagator and other coastal belts. Panchayats are expected to issue fresh notices as the administration intensifies its action.
The Chief Minister’s directive follows evidence that another Luthra-run club, built illegally on government land along a hillside and extending towards Vagator beach, was functioning without fire safety certification, structural approval or environmental permissions. Documents and testimonies accessed by India Today show that the structure stood dangerously close to the tide line, with waves reaching its loft during high tide. Locals had long warned that the venue was a “ticking time bomb.”
Despite years of complaints to multiple departments, including the police, the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority, the Pollution Control Board and the Town and Country Planning office, no meaningful action was taken against the illegal Vagator property.
Local activist Ravi Harmalkar, who repeatedly raised alarms about the risks, said he faced threats from the Luthra brothers, who allegedly warned him of “dire consequences.” Unable to secure relief, Harmalkar approached the Bombay High Court (Goa Bench), which ordered demolition. Only part of the structure was removed, allowing the club to continue in a makeshift form. Even after a contempt petition and further demolition orders from the Tourism Department, action remained “superficial,” and the premises were quickly rebuilt with wooden planks and nails, operating until just days ago.
The Arpora tragedy has revived serious concerns over who protected the Luthra brothers for so long. Harmalkar alleges they enjoyed “deep political backing” and influence over senior IAS and IPS officers, enabling them to run multiple unlicensed establishments on government land for years.
The fire at Birch by Romeo Lane, which claimed the lives of 20 staff members and five tourists, proved to be the tipping point. The upscale venue was destroyed, triggering widespread outrage and prompting swift action from the state government.
Goa Police have intensified efforts to locate the brothers, placing all airports and police units across India on alert.
According to Romeo Lane’s website, Saurabh Luthra is a “gold medalist engineer turned restaurateur,” highlighted in Forbes India for his rapid expansion across Delhi, Gurugram, Goa and other cities. The brothers were preparing to launch a new outlet in Noida’s Gaur City.
Investigators say Saurabh owns property in Dubai. Both brothers’ mobile phones remain switched off, and authorities are monitoring their digital trail.
In an Instagram statement, Saurabh Luthra called the tragedy a moment of “irreparable sorrow and overwhelming distress,” and said the management was “deeply shaken” by the magnitude of the loss.
Officials say full-scale demolition of all illegal Luthra-owned properties in Goa will proceed in the coming days.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
