log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline ON PAGES 2 & 3 MONDAY DECEMBER 8, 2025 Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 12 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 171 Instagram.com/thegoanonline FG Goa beats East Bengal to retain Super Cup  Pg 11 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Panchayat had ordered demolition of nightclub months before tragedy Club’s ‘illegalities’ were documented in legal notice issued to multiple authorities Shack at Vagator belonging to owners of ill-fated nightclub sealed President, PM, Home Minister, several other leaders offer condolences MLA had raised club’s illegal operation in Assembly months earlier Arpora blaze fallout: Sarpanch questioning triggers massive show of support Kazakhstan performer thanks ‘Indian God’ for saving her life in nightclub inferno Arpora sarpanch quits BJP; vows to defeat party in 2027 MIDNIGHT HORROR IN ARPORA, 25 DEAD n MASSIVE FIRE RIPS THROUGH PACKED NIGHTCLUB n SEVERAL CHARRED TO DEATH, OTHERS DIE OF SUFFOCATION; MOST VICTIMS WERE STAFFERS n FIVE TOURISTS, 2 BROTHERS (STAFF) AMONG DEAD n PM ANNOUNCES `2 LAKH EX-GRATIA n STATE SANCTIONS `5 LAKH EACH FOR FAMILIES THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA A late-night weekend party turned into one of Goa’s worst fire tragedies after a massive blaze tore through the high-end but controversially operated  Birch by Romeo Lane  nightclub at Arpora on Saturday, killing 25 people, including five tourists and injuring six others. Most of the victims were club staff who stood no chance of escape as the wooden structure went up in flames within minutes. Two brothers from Jharkhand were also among the dead. What began as a fully booked weekend musical event ended in devastation when internal fireworks ignited a fire on the upper floor around 11.45 pm. Patrons were partying when the flames erupted, quickly engulfing the ground-plus-one premises built largely of wood and thatched roofing. Within moments, the vibrant dance floor transformed into a death trap. According to police, 14 of the dead were staff members, five were tourists and the identity of seven victims is INSIDE >> IndiGo Ops stabilize, 1,650 flights take off NEW DELHI: IndiGo is operating 1,650 flights of its 2,300 daily domestic and international flights on Sunday, and 650 remain cancelled for the day, amid the airline’s operations gradually stabilising after massive disruptions in the last five days, the airline said. IndiGo also said it is expecting to stabilise the network by December 10.  >> See pg 7 Smriti Mandhana calls off wedding NEW DELHI: Indian women’s cricket team star Smriti Mandhana has officially ended weeks of frenzied public and media speculations surrounding her personal life, confirming that her highly anticipated wedding to music composer Palash Muchhal has officially been called off. The announcement was made via a heartfelt public statement on Instagram.  >> See pg 12 WEATHER >> Max: 33.1 C Min: 23.4 C Humidity: 87% TIDES Low: High: 07:09 18:59 01:28 12:17 4 club officials held; inferno branded as ‘man-made disaster’ THE GOAN I NETWORK ARPORA INFERNO: The massive fire that raged through the Arpora nightclub late Saturday. (Right) The charred interiors of the club. still being established. Several were charred, while many others died of suffocation as thick smoke filled the narrow passages. Panic spread as partygoers tried to flee, only to find themselves trapped. The club reportedly had just two exit points, insufficient for emergency evacuation. Many rushed toward the groundfloor kitchen in desperation, but the absence of a dedicated emergency exit left them disoriented in the smoke and ultimately led to death by asphyxiation. Fire tenders from Pilerne, Mapusa, Porvorim and nearby stations rushed to the scene and battled the blaze for hours. Emergency ambulances lined up through the night, transporting bodies to the Goa Medical College morgue, where unprecedented crowds gathered in grief and disbelief. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of deceased, and Rs 50,000 for the injured. The State government also declared Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia compensation for the families of each deceased and Rs 50,000 for those seriously injured. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who visited the site around 2.30 am, ordered an inquiry into the incident, assuring strict action against those responsible. He said the probe would scrutinise the cause of the fire, possible lapses in fire-safety norms, and violations of building regulations. “Any negligence will be dealt with firmly,” he said. Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, Arpora sarpanch Roshan Redkar and BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Tanavade visited the site. Congress MP Viriato Fernandes, GPCC president Amit Patkar and Congress leader Manikrao Thakare and leaders of other Opposition parties like the AAP and RGP also visited the site and criticised what they termed a “complete collapse” of administrative oversight. Two forensic teams inspected the charred prem- ises on Sunday morning, with panchanama proceedings continuing late into the evening. The club has been under scrutiny for months and the local panchayat had even ordered its demolition in March this year for alleged violations. The tragedy at  Birch by Romeo Lane  has once again spotlighted the fragile safety culture in Goa’s nightlife hubs – where a night meant for music and merriment can turn, in an instant, into a scene of unimaginable loss. MAPUSA The catastrophic fire at Birch by Romeo Lane is now being described by police as a “man-made disaster”, after it emerged that the high-end nightclub was operating without licences, lacked mandatory safety infrastructure and allegedly staged a hazardous fire show that triggered the blaze which killed 25 people late Saturday night. Anjuna Police have arrested four senior managers of the establishment for culpable offences leading to death, rash and negligent acts endangering life and operating a commercial premises without safety compliance. A case has been registered under Sections 105, 125, 125(a), 125(b), 287 r/w 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. According to the police complaint, accused Saurabh Luthra, Gaurav Luthra, other partners, the manager, event organiser and senior staff allegedly allowed a fire show inside the premises without any fire-safety equipment, precau- Cops leave for Delhi to arrest Birch owners PANAJI: Goa Police have fast tracked their investigation into the fatal fire at Birch nightclub, with a team dispatched to New Delhi to arrest the owners of the property. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant confirmed that the team has left for Delhi, hours after police stating that the owners would be summoned for questioning.  >> See pg 2 tions or emergency planning. Sparks from the performance reportedly ignited the upper floor and the fire quickly spread through the structure. Investigators say the club had no emergency exit on either the ground floor or the deck floor, trapping patrons who were unable to escape the thick smoke and advancing flames. >Continued on P5 Electrical fireworks inside Corridors of GMC shrouded in grief ALL VICTIMS IDENTIFIED; AUTOPSY EXAMINATION CONDUCTED club sparked inferno: CM THE GOAN I NETWORK SAYS PANEL TO LOOK INTO ALL VIOLATIONS THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The initial probe into the catastrophic fire at Birch by Romeo Lane in Arpora -- which claimed 25 lives -- has concluded that the blaze was sparked by internal electrical fireworks used inside the premises on Saturday night and that there was no explosion involved. The government has ordered a magisterial inquiry to determine the lapses and acts of negligence that allowed the incident to occur. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday convened a high-level meeting with senior officials to review the tragedy and formulate preventive measures. The government has decided to initiate disciplinary and criminal action against all officials involved in issuing permissions to the nightclub. A new audit committee, headed by the Revenue Sec- Three officials suspended PANAJI: In the first punitive action following the Arpora tragedy, the State government suspended former member-secretary of the Pollution Control Board Dr Shamila Monteiro (current, Fisheries director), former Director of panchayats Siddhi Halarnkar and Raghuvir Bagkar, a former secretary of Arpora-Nagoa panchayat. The suspension orders issued by the Vigilance Director, come reportedly in connection with the involvement of these officials in a dubious environmental clearance granted to the establishment. retary, will now inspect all nightclubs, commercial establishments, and venues likely to host large crowds to verify their permissions, identify violations, and take action wherever necessary. Addressing media, Sawant revealed that early findings point to electrical fireworks igniting the fire, which spread rapidly due to the wooden interiors and furniture. Although the fire and emergency services reached the scene within 30 minutes, the poor structural layout of the club severely hampered firefighting efforts. “The premises had only two exit points. Two completely charred bodies were recovered from the upper level, while 23 victims were found in the basement, where they reportedly sought refuge but succumbed to suffocation,” he said. >Continued on P5 PANAJI The aftermath of the devastating fire at Arpora’s popular nightclub ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ left corridors at the Goa Medical College and Hospital in Bambolim filled with silence, broken only by anxious conversations. The bodies of 25 victims were brought to the morgue where identification processes as well as the statutory post mortem autopsy examinations were ongoing through the day. Also, five survivors are admitted and being treated at the hospital, with the most severe injuries (28%) reported to be those of a 20-year-old girl.   With most victims being migrant staff of the club or tourist clients, the process of identification has been painfully slow. All the 25 victims were eventually identified and the authorities released the names late on Sunday night, confirming that five of the victims were tourist-clients and the remaining 20 were staff of the nightclub.  One survivor discharged, five under treatment An ambulance arrives with the victims at GMC.   Narayan Pissurlenkar Authorities said, one of the dead tourist-client  was Ishaq from Karnataka, and four -- Saroj Joshi, Vinod Kumar, Anita Joshi, and Kamla Joshi -- were from Delhi.  The names of the other victims who are staff of the club, were provided as: Mohit, Pradeep Mahto, and Binod Mahto (Jharkhand), Rahul Tanti and Manojit Mal (Assam), Satish Singh, Surender Singh, Jitendra Singh, Sumit Negi, and Manish Singh (Uttarakhand), Subhash Chetri (Darjeeling, West Bengal), Vivek Katwal, Sabin, Churna Bahadur Pun, and Sudeep (Nepal), Sunil Kumar and Rohan Singh (Uttar Pradesh), Dominic and Manoj Jora (Maharashtra), and Digambar Patir (Assam). Earlier in the day at the GMC, relatives or acquaintances who rushed to the hospital described the atmosphere as “unbearable,” with many waiting for hours to confirm the fate of loved ones. “I came here hoping it wasn’t my friend,” said a young man clutching a photograph. “But the officials asked me to wait until verification. PANAJI: Goa’ Health Secretary Yatindra Maralkar, IAS, flanked by GMC Dean Dr Tiwari and Medical Superintendent Mahesh Patil, updated the media on the condition of five survivors undergoing treatment saying doctors are working tirelessly to stabilize the patients and all are responding to treatment. “Each case is being monitored closely, and we are ensuring that the best possible care is extended to them,” Maralkar said. According to officials, five survivors -- including a 20-yearold girl -- are admitted with varying degrees of burn injuries. Their condition ranges from moderate to critical, with intensive care protocols in place.  >Continued on P5 Govt mandates week-long Nightclub declared ‘legal’ just weeks before blaze GCZMA’S ORDER safety audit of night venues THE GOAN I NETWORK THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) has issued an urgent advisory directing all nightclubs, restaurants, bars, event venues and similar establishments across Goa to strictly comply with fire, electrical and structural safety norms, following the massive fire at Birch by Romeo Lane club that claimed 25 lives. Invoking Sections 22(2)(h), 22(2)(i) and 24 of the Disaster Establishments must keep the audit report ready for inspection… staff must also undergo regular training, including evacuation drills, and each shift must have a designated fire safety officer Management Act, 2005, the SDMA has mandated an internal safety audit to be completed within seven days. Establishments must keep the audit report ready for inspection by the district administration, Fire and Emergency Services or SDMA-authorised teams. The advisory also directs the venues to maintain a valid Fire NOC, adhere to approved occupancy limits, ensure all fire-fighting equipment is functional, use certified electrical systems, and keep all emergency exits unobstructed and clearly marked. Staff must also undergo regular training, including evacuation drills, >Continued on P5 MAPUSA In a dramatic new twist to the Arpora nightclub inferno, it has now emerged that the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) had declared the controversial Birch by Romeo Lane “legal” barely two weeks before the tragedy, dismissing multiple complaints against the structure with what critics are calling an astonishingly casual stroke of the pen. In an order dated November 24, GCZMA Member Secretary Sachin Desai concluded that the structures housing the Member Secretary Sachin Desai concluded that the structures housing the high-end nightclub were entirely legal since they purportedly fell outside the Coastal Regulation Zone. “There is no environmental cause, as there is a civil litigation between the owners of the club and the complainant since 2005,” the authority noted, effectively waving aside objections that had been pending for months high-end nightclub were entirely legal since they purportedly fell outside the Coastal Regulation Zone, thereby eliminating any alleged CRZ violations. “There is no environmental cause, as there is a civil litigation between the owners of the club and the complainant since 2005,” the authority noted, effectively waving aside objections that had been pending for months. Desai’s order further relied on a 1996 NOC issued by the Arpora–Nagoa Panchayat for the construction of a res- taurant, staff quarters, compound wall and retaining wall. Citing these documents, the authority dropped the showcause notice and discharged proceedings against alleged violator Surinder Kumar Khosla. This came despite a set of complaints filed before GCZMA – one by Pradeep Ghadi Amonkar and Sunil Divkar, co-owners of the disputed property, in December 2023 and another by Canca resident Atmaram Gadekar in January 2025. All objections were dismissed. However, after the catastrophic fire that killed 25 people, the State government swung into action and suspended three officials – the former Director of Panchayats, former GSPCB Member >Continued on P5