Goa Nightclub Fire: Owners Detained in Phuket After Interpol Notice; India Begins Process to Bring Them Back

New Delhi, December 11, 2025— Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, co-owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa where a suspected cylinder blast led to a massive fire that killed 25 people on Saturday, have been detained in Phuket, Thailand. Senior officials confirmed that the detention was made at the request of the Indian government, and the process to bring the brothers back to India is now underway. A Goa Police team will soon travel to Thailand to take custody of the duo so they can face trial.

The brothers were the subject of an Interpol Blue Corner Notice issued after they fled the country just hours after the tragedy. Their departure on an IndiGo flight had raised questions, especially since the airline was dealing with nationwide flight delays and cancellations at the time, leading many to speculate how they managed to leave so quickly.

According to officials, the Luthra brothers booked their Phuket tickets through an online travel portal at 1:17 am on December 7—barely an hour after learning about the deadly fire at their Arpora-based nightclub. Even as rescue operations were still in progress, they left India on an early morning IndiGo flight on Sunday.

The Goa Police subsequently sought help from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which coordinated the issuance of the Interpol notice that ultimately led to the brothers’ detention in Thailand.