PANAJI
Families of the victims of the deadly fire at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub staged a protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Sunday, demanding the death sentence for the club’s owners—brothers Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra—who are currently in police custody.
Raising slogans such as “hang the killers,” the protesters squarely held the Luthra brothers responsible for the blaze that claimed 25 lives. As reported by a news agency, the families asserted that justice must be delivered not only for those who lost their lives but also for those who sustained injuries in the incident.
Of the 25 deceased, five were tourists while 20 were staff members working at the nightclub. The fire had also left around six persons injured.
The tragic incident occurred on December 6 last year at the popular nightclub. According to the investigation, the fire was triggered by electric fireworks, leading to a rapid spread of flames inside the premises.
Soon after the incident, the Luthra brothers fled the country and travelled to Thailand. They were later deported to India on December 17 and taken into police custody.
The families have also filed an intervention application before the Mapusa Additional Sessions Court in the anticipatory bail plea of Luthra brothers. The court is scheduled to hear arguments on January 7. A fresh case has also been registered by Anjuna police in connection with charges of alleged document forgery and cheating.
