A young tech professional from Bengaluru was among the 25 people killed in the devastating fire that broke out at the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane” nightclub in Goa’s Arpora area late Saturday night, as per a report by the Times of India. The victim was part of a group of six friends who had travelled to Goa for a bachelor party trip when the fire erupted inside the packed venue.
The deceased was identified as Mohammed Ishaq, a 25-year-old data analyst working at a private company in Bengaluru. As per TOI report, he lived in Ashwath Nagar on Thanisandra Main Road. He was the son of the businessman Mohammed Hussain and is survived by his parents and a younger sister. Relatives said that Ishaq had talked to his father just hours before the tragedy, telling them the group was enjoying their trip. One of the friends in the group was also going to get married.
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The return that cost him his life
Ishaq and his friends initially managed to escape the nightclub after noticing the fire. However, he reportedly went inside to get back his mobile phone. That decision proved fatal.
Family acquaintances, as cited by TOI, stated that Ishaq may have died either in a stampede inside the club or because of cardiac arrest amid the chaos. Police later informed the family that he had been killed during the rush to exit the venue. His body reportedly had only minor injuries, indicating suffocation or crowd pressure as the likely reason rather than direct exposure to the flames.
Safety lapses under scrutiny
The tragedy has also brought a renewed focus on long-standing safety concerns at the nightclub. The Times of India reported that Pradeep Ghadi Amonkar, the original landowner of the plot, claimed he had pointed out alleged illegalities at the establishment for nearly 20 years. Along with Sunil Divkar, he had submitted complaints to the local Arpora-Nagao panchayat. A demolition notice, which was issued in 2024, was later stayed after being challenged.
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Another victim identified was Satish Rana, a 24-year-old resident of Uttarakhand’s Tehri Garhwal and the sole breadwinner of his family, as per a report by India Today. His parents depend on farming for a livelihood, while his younger brother is still studying. A total of five men from Uttarakhand were among those killed.
As per the investigators, most of the victims lost their lives because of suffocation inside the underground kitchen area. Of the 25 bodies recovered, 23 showed no sign of burn injuries, while only two were severely burned. As of now, police have arrested five people, including the club’s daily operations manager, who was held in Delhi. |
