Panaji: Goa authorities on Tuesday began demolishing Romeo Lane, the Vagator beach shack owned by Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, following an order issued by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. Demolition work commenced on Tuesday evening, according to reports, with videos shared on social media appearing to confirm the action.

Why has the demolition been ordered?

The demolition follows an intensifying search for the Luthra brothers, who fled to Thailand hours after a devastating blaze gutted their nightclub-cum-restaurant, Birch by Romeo Lane, late on Saturday night, killing 25 people.

Goa Police said the duo boarded an IndiGo New Delhi–Phuket flight early Sunday morning. “The Bureau of Immigration at Mumbai was contacted and it was found that both the accused had taken 6E 1073 flight (New Delhi to Phuket) at 5.30am on 7th December,” deputy superintendent of police and public relations officer Nilesh Rane said.

A lookout notice was issued through the Bureau of Immigration, and Indian authorities are coordinating with officials in Thailand to trace the brothers in Phuket. Agencies are seeking their deportation on the basis of an arrest warrant in order to avoid the longer extradition process. Police teams who visited the Luthras’ north Delhi residence on Monday said the pair could not be located.

What happened in the deadly Arpora fire?

The fire at Birch by Romeo Lane swept through the 300 sq metre property at around 11.45pm on Saturday. Of the 25 people killed, 20 were staff, while five were tourists, including four members of a family from Delhi.

An FIR was registered at 9.30am on Sunday, booking the Luthra brothers and unnamed others under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita: culpable homicide not amounting to murder (section 105), endangering lives and personal safety (125(a)(b)), and negligent handling of fire or combustible material (section 287).

Who has been arrested so far?

Four persons, chief general manager Rajiv Modak, gate manager Priyanshu Thakur, bar manager Rajveer Singhania and general manager Vivek Singh, were arrested on Sunday.

A fifth person, Bharat Singh Kohli, described in the FIR as someone “managing the daily operations of the establishment on behalf of the owners,” was arrested on Monday.

(With agency inputs)