Goa nightclub fire: victims’ families protest in Delhi, demand death penalty for owners

Families of those who died in the Goa nightclub fire staged a protest at Jantar Mantar in the national capital on Sunday, demanding capital punishment for the owners of the club where the tragedy occurred.

Raising slogans calling for the killers to be hanged, the protesters held brothers Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra responsible for the blaze that claimed 25 lives. The families said justice must be ensured not only for those who died but also for the many who were injured in the incident.

The fire broke out on 6 December last year at Birch by Romeo Lane, a nightclub in Arpora village in north Goa, during a dance party. Around 50 people sustained injuries in the incident, many of them serious.

According to the families, the loss of life was the result of gross negligence and accountability must extend to those who owned and operated the establishment. They urged authorities to ensure a swift trial and exemplary punishment to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Following the incident, the two accused brothers reportedly fled the country within hours and travelled to Thailand. They were deported back to India on 17 December and are currently in the custody of the Goa police as the investigation continues.

The protest in Delhi adds to growing pressure on authorities to ensure strict action and accountability in one of the deadliest nightclub fires in recent years.

With PTI inputs