log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 17, 2025 GOA Building scalable brands through data, design and strategy IN SHORT >> UP fog-related road accidents claim 25 lives LUCKNOW: At least 25 people were killed and 59 injured in a series of fog-related road accidents across Uttar Pradesh, with the worst tragedy occurring on the Yamuna Expressway in Mathura, where a multivehicle pile-up turned into an inferno, claiming 13 lives, police said on Tuesday. Four people each were killed in Basti and Unnao, and two each in Meerut and Barabanki.  >> See pg 7 5-day Goa Assembly session from Jan 12 PANAJI: Goa Governor Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju has summoned the five-daylong winter session of the Goa Legislative Assembly, starting from January 12 to 16, 2026.  >> See pg 3 The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 12 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 180 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 3 12 2 9 SIR draft rolls out, over Luthra brothers deported, arrested at Delhi airport 7,000 struck off in Vasco Fierce battle between BJP, Cong for Guirdolim, Davorlim seats >> pg 6 Facebook.com/thegoan GOA 7-day ultimatum to civic body over Mapusa fish market mess PANAJI The Special Intensive Revi‑ sion (SIR) of voters across Goa has led to a massive clean‑up of the electoral rolls, with 1,00,042 names excluded from the draft list falling under the ASDD category – absent, per‑ manently shifted, deceased and duplicate entries. The biggest impact has been felt in Vasco constituen‑ cy, where 7,535 names were struck off with more than half of these permanently moved out. Other constituencies with large exclusions include Cor‑ talim (4,475), Fatorda (4,400), and Santa Cruz (4,001). According to the Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) of‑ fice, North Goa accounted for 45,639 deletions, while South Goa had 54,403. Constituency‑wise figures VOTER LIST CLEANUP: THE STATS „„South Goa recorded more deletions (54,403) than North Goa (45,639) „„Santa Cruz had the highest number of deletions due to deaths (975), followed by Porvorim, Calangute and Mapusa „„Names of 1,82,403 voters or their parents were missing from the 2002 voter list, reflecting long-term demographic shifts „„Permanent migration was a major factor, with high exclusions in Taleigao, show Taleigao (3,951), Mar‑ gao (3,889), Panaji (3,630), Mormugao (3,531), Dabolim (3,445), Porvorim (3,428), Sali‑ gao (3,285), Mapusa (3,205), Curtorim (2,914), Navelim (2,886), Ponda (2,884), Cal‑ angute (2,563), Cumbarjua (2,366), Aldona (2,365), and Thivim (2,262) among those segments with significant ex‑ clusions. Santa Cruz constituency re‑ corded the highest single tal‑ ly of deletions due to deaths at 975, followed by Porvorim (960), Calangute (919), Mapu‑ sa (905), Panaji (863), Vasco (862), Aldona (819), and Shi‑ roda (772). Green, Pathirana lead record-busting buys as IPL Mini Auction thrills Why you should never use skincare wipes CORTALIM, FATORDA, AND SANTA CRUZ AMONG CONSTITUENCIES WITH MAJOR DELETIONS THE GOAN I NETWORK SPORTS INFO Fatorda, Panaji and Dabolim „„Duplicate entries were most common in Mandrem, Priol and Navelim; Curtorim recorded the fewest duplicates „„Sanguem had the lowest overall deletions (785), followed by Sanquelim, Bicholim, Mandrem and Priol By December 11, enumera‑ tion forms of 10,84,992 voters – representing 91.56 per cent of the electorate – had been collected and digitised. Officials also noted that names of about 1,82,403 vot‑ ers or their parents were >Continued on P7 Produced for transit remand; to be brought to Goa today, custody to be sought in Mapusa THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Ten days after fleeing India in the aftermath of a deadly nightclub fire in Goa, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra were tak‑ en into custody on Tuesday at Indira Gandhi Internation‑ al Airport, ending a brief but closely watched international pursuit. The brothers, owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane night‑ club in Arpora, were deported from Bangkok and brought to New Delhi on a commer‑ cial IndiGo flight under Cen‑ tral Bureau of Investigation (CBI) escort. The flight landed shortly before 2 pm, and the Goa Police formally arrested the men at the immigration counter, with Delhi Police also present. The December 6 fire at the nightclub killed 25 people and triggered widespread criticism of safety lapses and alleged regulatory failures. The Goa police have charged the broth‑ ers along with seven other Goa Police granted 48-hr transit remand Goa Police escort the Luthra brothers after obtaining transit remand from Patiala House Court in New Delhi on Tuesday. TIMELINE ON PAGE 7 accused, with culpable hom‑ icide and negligence among other serious sections of the BNS. Meanwhile, after their ar‑ rest, the accused were taken for the mandatory medical PANAJI: As the Luthras land in Goa at 10.40 am on Wednesday, the Delhi Patiala House court on Tuesday granted the Goa Police two days of transit remand for the accused who will now face the law in the Birch by Romeo Lane fire tragedy. While granting the remand, the court ordered medical checks and allowed family to provide basic necessities during transit.  >> See pg 3 examination at Indira Gan‑ dhi super speciality hospital Dwarka. Officials said they were later produced before the Patiala House Court for transit remand to be brought to Goa. Soon after their arrival on Wednesday morning, they >Continued on P7 3 more nightclubs sealed in 3,228 demolitions stalled in DoP-p'yat deadlock Anjuna-Vagator beach belt THE GOAN I NETWORK THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA Continuing its crackdown on nightclubs operating without mandatory clearances, the State government on Tuesday sealed three more clubs in the Anjuna-Vagator belt for alleg‑ edly failing to comply with fire safety norms, officials said. The clubs – Clara and Salud at Ozran, Vagator and Mayan Beach Club at Anjuna – were sealed by the joint enforce‑ ment and monitoring commit‑ tee after inspections revealed serious deficiencies in fire pre‑ vention and emergency pre‑ paredness. “With the sealing of these establishments, the total number of nightclubs shut down so far has risen to six,” a senior official associated with the drive said, adding that the action forms part of a sus‑ tained enforcement campaign >Continued on P7 PANAJI The Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub tragedy has thrown a harsh spotlight on Goa’s panchayats – the grassroots bodies meant to keep 'illegal' development in villages under check. But here’s the catch: even when panchayats crack down on illegal constructions, their efforts often hit a wall – the Directorate of Panchayats (DoP). Take the 'Birch by Romeo Lane' case itself. The Arpora-Nagoa panchayat had ordered the club demolished, a strong move, except nothing of the sort actually happened. Why? Because the then Panchayat Director swooped in with a stay order. And once the DoP steps in this, panchayats are legally barred from acting further. It’s like pulling the handbrake on lo‑ cal governance. Worse, this isn’t an isolated story. Across Goa, demolition orders are piling up, but en‑ forcement is similarly stuck in limbo. Official figures from the DoP itself tell the tale: 3,228 allegedly illegal constructions are under panchayat jurisdic‑ tion. More than half – 1,730 – are in Bardez taluka alone, making it ground zero for un‑ authorised building. North Goa has 2,179 cases, South Goa another 1,049. All of them are tangled up in hearings at the DoP level. Here’s how the process works. Panchayats, empow‑ ered under the Goa Panchaya‑ ti Raj Act, 1994, detect viola‑ tions and issue demolition orders. But the moment the affected party appeals to the DoP, the bulldozers stop roll‑ ing. The appellate authority grants stays, and the cases drag on endlessly. The numbers are stagger‑ ing, but the bigger question is sobering: if panchayats can’t enforce their own or‑ ders, who’s really running the show? For now, it seems Goa’s grassroots institutions are stuck playing second fiddle to the DoP, offering a happy po‑ sition for the marauding real estate and construction lobby. ANANT AMBANI HOSTS LIONEL MESSI AT VANTARA, SHARES UNFORGETTABLE ENCOUNTERS WITH SACRED INDIAN TRADITIONS AND WILDLIFE J amnagar, India –Glob‑ al football icon Lionel Messi made a special visit to Vantara, a wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and conserva‑ tion centre founded by Anant Ambani. At the centre, initia‑ tives traditionally begin with seeking blessings in accord‑ ance with Sanatana Dharma, which emphasises reverence for nature and respect for all living beings. Messi’s visit reflected this cultural ethos as he participated in tradition‑ al Hindu rituals, observed wildlife and interacted with caregivers and conservation teams. His engagements during the visit reflected the humility and humanitarian values for which he is widely recognised, and highlighted the warm bond and friend‑ ship he shares with Anant Ambani for his commitement to wildlife conservation. Messi, accompanied by his Inter Miami teammates Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul, was welcomed in grand traditional style with vibrant folk music, a showering of flowers symbolising blessings and purity of intent, and a ceremonial aarti. The football legend also participated in a Maha Aarti at the temple, including Ambe Mata Puja,‑ Ganesh Puja, Hanuman Puja and Shiv Abhishek, offering prayers for world peace and unity in keeping with India’s timeless ethos of reverence for all living beings. Following the welcome, Messi embarked on a guided tour of Vantara’s expansive conservation ecosystem, home to rescued big cats, el‑ ephants, herbivores, reptiles and fostered young animals from across the globe. He also visited the green energy com‑ plex and the world’s largest refinery complex, where he expressed amazement at the scale and vision behind the operations. At the care centre for lions, leopards, tigers and other endangered species, Messi interacted with animals thriv‑ ing in enriched, naturalis‑ tic environments, many of whom approached him with curiosity. He then visited the Herbivore Care Centre and the Reptile Care Centre, where he observed animals flourishing under specialised veterinary care, customised nutrition, behavioural training and hus‑ bandry protocols that reflect Vantara’s global leadership in wildlife welfare. During the visit, he also toured the multi speciality wildlife hospital, witnessing real time clinical and surgical procedures, and later fed the okapis, rhinos, giraffes and elephants. From a global perspective, he also praised the commitment of the Prime Minister of India to advancing wildlife care and conservation in the country. At the Foster Care Centre, dedicated to orphaned and vulnerable young animals, Messi learned about their journeys of resilience. In a heartfelt gesture, Anant Ambani and Radhika Ambani together named a lion cub “Lionel,” a name that now represents hope and conti‑ nuity, given in honour of the football legend. The highlight of the tour came at the Elephant Care Centre, where Messi met Man‑ iklal, a rescued elephant calf saved along with his ailing mother Prathima from harsh labour in the logging industry two years ago. In a moment that captured hearts across the centre, Messi engaged in an impromptu football enrichment activity with Maniklal, demonstrating the universal language of play. The calf responded enthu‑ siastically to the activity, making playful moves that showcased his own emerging skills, marking one of the most memorable moments of Messi’s visit to India. Responding in Spanish to Anant Ambani thanking him for visiting Vantara and in‑ spiring everyone selflessly to‑ ward animals and mankind, Messi said, “What Vantara does is truly beautiful, the work for animals, the care they receive, the way they are rescued and looked after. It is genuinely impressive. We had a wonderful time, felt completely at ease through‑ out, and it is an experience that stays with you. We will surely visit again to continue inspiring and supporting this meaningful work.” As the visit came to a close, Messi participated in Nariyal Utsarg and Matka Phod, traditional rituals symbolis‑ ing goodwill and auspicious beginnings. The ceremony concluded with chants for peace and well-being, un‑ derscoring the shared values that align Vantara’s mission with Messi’s global legacy. Messi, who leads the Leo Messi Foundation dedicated to social causes, education, healthcare and children’s welfare worldwide, expressed a deep sense of alignment with Vantara’s purpose and appreciation for its vision of compassionate, science driv‑ en care for animals.