Panaji, Dec 10 : Goa Police on Tuesday detained Ajay Gupta, a New Delhi resident, in connection with the deadly fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane, a restaurant cum bar located in North Goa’s Arpora.
Police said a Lookout Circular (LOC) had earlier been issued against Gupta. When a police team visited his Delhi residence, he was found absconding, prompting the issuance of a non-bailable arrest warrant. “Ajay Gupta has now been detained in Delhi,” Goa Police said in an official statement.
The detention comes days after a massive blaze broke out in the early hours of Sunday at the Arpora nightclub, triggering a high-casualty incident that claimed at least 25 lives, most of them staff members of the establishment. The Goa government has since constituted a committee to investigate the incident.
As part of the ongoing action, the district administration on Tuesday demolished a portion of the Romeo Lane restaurant in Vagator. The restaurant is owned by Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, who also own Birch by Romeo Lane.
In a major development in the Arpora nightclub fire case, Goa Police said INTERPOL has issued a Blue Corner Notice against the absconding Luthra brothers. The notice was issued within two days of the incident to help locate and track their movements internationally.
According to police, the two accused fled to Thailand following the fire and are now being traced with the assistance of international law enforcement agencies.
Meanwhile, Goa Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte said a strict investigation would be conducted “from down to top,” adding that accountability would be fixed. “Some heads need to roll,” he said.
Goa Police described the issuance of the Blue Corner Notice as a “major breakthrough” in the investigation, reiterating that efforts are underway to bring all those responsible for the deadly incident to justice.