From Hospitality Trailblazers to Fugitives: Who Are Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, the brothers behind Goa’s deadly nightclub fire?

The tragic nightclub fire at Birch by Romeo Lane in Goa’s Arpora on December 6 has triggered nationwide outrage and raised urgent questions about accountability in India’s booming nightlife industry. The blaze, which killed 25 people — including 20 staff and 5 tourists and injured several others, has exposed serious safety violations, illegal construction issues and operational lapses at the venue.

Just hours after the midnight fire, police say the club’s owners, brothers Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, boarded a flight from Mumbai to Phuket at 5:30 a.m. on December 7, fleeing the country to avoid arrest. A Look-Out Circular has since been issued, and Goa Police are coordinating with Interpol for their detention. Multiple managers have already been arrested, and raids at the brothers’ Delhi homes found them absconding.

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The incident has overnight transformed the Luthras from high-profile hospitality figures often featured in magazines and business awards into fugitives facing charges of culpable homicide, with their nightlife empire now under intense scrutiny.

Who are Luthra brothers?

Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, entrepreneurs from Delhi’s North Campus region, are the co-founders of Romeo Lane, Birch, Mama’s Buoi and several other high-profile hospitality ventures.

Over the last nine years, the brothers built one of India’s fastest-expanding nightlife brands before becoming the central accused in the Goa nightclub tragedy that killed 25 people on December 6, 2025.

Saurabh, the elder sibling, is a B.Tech gold medallist engineer who worked in corporate business development before launching into hospitality.

The Romeo Lane website describes him as a “gold medalist engineer-turned-fastest growing restaurateur”, widely known for his industry networking and brand positioning. He has been featured in Forbes India, multiple ‘40 Under 40’ lists, and has received several hospitality awards.

Gaurav, also an engineer, is described by media reports as the operational brain of their business - managing finances, franchise partnerships and back-end operations for GS Foods Studio Pvt Ltd, under which their outlets operate.

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The brothers hail from Kingsway Camp / Outram Lane in North Delhi, close to where they first launched their business.

Rise of an F&B Empire

The Luthras began their entrepreneurial journey in 2016, opening Mama’s Buoi, a café-bar in Delhi’s Hudson Lane - a hotspot for university students. After its success, they expanded rapidly, launching Dramebaaz and later Romeo Lane, which became their flagship brand.

Between 2016 and 2024, they opened restobars, rooftop lounges, nightclubs, and boutique hotels in more than 22–30 cities and four countries, including: Delhi NCR (multiple outlets), Goa, Bhopal, Indore, Dehradun, Lucknow and Dubai (international presence).

Their Goa venue, Birch by Romeo Lane, marketed as “India’s First Island Club”, opened with heavy publicity and quickly became a celebrity-frequented destination.

But several franchisees reportedly struggled with losses as rapid expansion overstretched operations, according to restaurateurs quoted in media reports. Multiple regulatory notices were issued over the years, including for hygiene lapses, seating violations in Delhi, and sound pollution infractions in Goa.

The Night of the Tragedy

The fire broke out shortly before midnight on Saturday, December 6, during a weekend event, when nearly 150 tourists were inside the waterfront club. Preliminary reports suggest electric firecrackers hit a wooden ceiling, triggering the blaze. With only one functioning exit and no space for fire engines due to narrow access roads, guests and staff were trapped.

Among the victims were 20 staff members and five tourists, including four from Delhi. Six others were severely injured.

Local authorities and villagers allege the club was:

- Built without construction permission

- Located on an eco-sensitive saltpan and Coastal Regulation Zone area

- Operating despite a demolition notice under appeal

- Running on unsafe design architecture

Flight to Phuket and Police Action

Hours after the fire, before an FIR was filed, the Luthra brothers reached Mumbai airport and boarded IndiGo flight 6E 1073 to Phuket at 5:30 a.m. on December 7 — within five hours of the incident.

The Bureau of Immigration later issued a Look Out Circular, and Goa Police have requested Interpol assistance. Raids conducted at their Delhi homes found them missing, and notices were pasted on the gates.

Goa Police have arrested four managers and secured transit remand for employee Bharat Kohli, while searching for suspected partner Ajay Gupta. Three suspended officials are also under investigation for regulatory lapses.

Empire in Ruins

What was built as a luxury nightlife dynasty over nine years has unravelled in a single day. The brothers who spoke in emotional social media posts about their “incredible journey since 2016” are now fugitives facing charges of culpable homicide, fire safety violations and illegal construction.

Their Instagram posts about “gratitude, success and expansion into new cities” now sit alongside police statements describing them as absconding offenders.

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From hospitality icons to the subjects of an international manhunt — the Luthra brothers’ rise and fall is a cautionary tale of ambition unchecked by accountability.