Phuket Manhunt and Club Safety After Goa Blaze Kills 25

A frantic dash from India’s party capital to Thailand’s most famous island is now at the centre of an international manhunt, following a nightclub inferno that left 25 people dead and reignited questions about fire-safety, nightlife regulation and the mechanics of extradition between New Delhi and Bangkok. Thai tourism operators, already trying to reassure travellers ahead of the high season, are watching closely.

Flash Points

• Deadly blaze gutted a club in Goa’s Arpora village, killing 25 and injuring six.

• Two principal owners, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, slipped out of India within hours, landing in Phuket.

• Interpol Blue Notices issued; India asking Thailand for a swift hand-over under the 2015 extradition treaty.

• Phuket authorities scramble to prove local clubs meet fire codes as nightlife opening hours stretch to 04:00.

• Indian government pledges ₹700,000 compensation per victim’s family; relatives demand accountability.

A Blaze That Turned Celebration Into Tragedy

Witnesses say the party at Birch by Romeo Lane was in full swing when a series of sparklers—popular props in many Indian clubs—apparently set ablaze flammable décor near the DJ booth just after midnight. Within minutes, thick acrid smoke filled the two-storey structure, funnelled by a single narrow staircase. Firefighters who arrived 20 minutes later battled blocked access routes and found most bodies in the basement kitchen, overcome by toxic fumes rather than flames. Four managers were arrested on the spot, while Goa’s chief minister ordered a magisterial probe into why repeated safety warnings were ignored.

Why Phuket Became the First Refuge

Immigration logs show the Luthra brothers booked IndiGo flight 6E1073 only two hours after the fire. Investigators believe Phuket seemed attractive for three overlapping reasons: the island’s year-round direct flights, a well-established Indian expatriate network, and the assumption that the Thai-Indian visa-on-arrival window would give them time to seek legal cover. Yet since 2015, Thailand and India have a standing extradition pact, making Phuket a far riskier haven than it might have been a decade ago. Officers from Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) confirmed they have now traced the pair’s hotel bookings and are coordinating surveillance of likely safe houses in Kathu and Patong.

Inside the Cross-Border Dragnet

Interpol published a Blue Corner notice—a step below the better-known Red Notice—requesting member states share any information on the suspects’ movements. Indian police simultaneously filed an FIR for culpable homicide, reckless handling of flammables, and endangering life. To speed proceedings, Delhi is pushing for an "administrative deportation" rather than a protracted court fight. Thai prosecutors, however, insist any hand-over must pass through the formal Extradition Act (BE 2551), which typically requires an arrest warrant issued by a Thai judge. Analysts point out the two countries have cooperated smoothly in at least a dozen criminal returns since the treaty was signed, suggesting the brothers’ stay in Thailand could be short-lived.

Phuket Nightlife Under the Microscope

The island’s club owners awoke to unscheduled inspections this week. Patong municipality teams checked sprinkler systems, verified the number of emergency exits, and ordered rusty fire extinguishers replaced within 48 hours. Venue managers were told they must use the Thai D app to scan IDs, preventing under-20s from entering, and to display English-language evacuation maps near each bar. Phuket’s governor also reopened debate on creating a single, purpose-built entertainment zone—a concept shelved during the pandemic—to better police overcrowded sois after Thailand authorised 04:00 closing times in select tourism hubs.

Grief, Anger and a Question of Justice in Goa

Outside Goa Medical College, families collected remains in silence, some clinging to modest suitcases that held their loved ones’ only belongings. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ₹200,000 relief from the federal PMNRF fund, topped up by ₹500,000 from the state. Many relatives, particularly those who travelled from Assam and Bihar, say compensation is no substitute for charges against "rich owners who cut corners for profit." Three local officials have already been suspended for signing off occupancy permits without a valid fire NOC, and opposition politicians are calling for a state-wide audit of every bar, shack and music festival site before peak New Year arrivals.

What Happens Next

Thai police are expected to seek a local arrest warrant within days, after which the Luthras will face a bail hearing in Phuket Provincial Court. Should the court approve extradition, the process could conclude in as little as 30 days, according to legal experts familiar with past India–Thailand cases. Meanwhile, Phuket’s nightlife sector is under pressure to prove that the island’s "safety first" branding is more than a slogan, while in Goa, the tragedy may well reshape how authorities license the state’s famously hedonistic scene. For travellers from Thailand planning winter getaways, both destinations will likely look very different by the time the next high season rolls around.