Goa Police on Monday said they have launched an international search for nightclub owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra after they confirmed that both brothers flew to Phuket just hours after the massive fire at the night club that killed 25 people and injured six. Police further added that an FIR was registered soon after the blaze, following which a team was dispatched to Delhi to raid the brothers’ residences.
Goa Police seeks Interpol's help
"Goa Police have taken further steps to coordinate with the Interpol Division of the CBI to apprehend both Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra at the earliest," a senior police officer said.
The development comes as a massive fire at the nightclub, some 25 kilometres away from Panaji, on late Saturday night killed 25 persons. The deceased comprised 20 employees of the nightclub and five tourists, including four from Delhi. Five injured people were undergoing treatment at the government-run Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH).
Look Out Circular was issued against both brothers
After registering an FIR against them, Goa Police have posted a notice at their residence. A Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against both of them on December 7th at the request of the Goa Police to prevent them from leaving the country, but they had already fled.
The Bureau of Immigration at Mumbai was contacted, and it was found that both the accused had taken the 6E 1073 flight to Phuket at 5.30 am on December 7, immediately after the fire incident, which occurred around midnight, the officer said.
He said the Goa Police had immediately dispatched a team to Delhi to conduct raids on the addresses of the accused Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra. "Since they were not available, a notice under the appropriate sections of law was pasted on the gate of their house. This shows their intent to avoid the police investigation", he said.
Goa Police have obtained transit remand of Bharat Kohli, an employee of the club, and are bringing him to Goa. He also said that the postmortem on all 25 deceased has been completed and bodies handed over to their families.
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