Goa police detain nightclub co-owner Ajay Gupta over fire that killed 25

The Goa police on Tuesday detained Ajay Gupta, one of the four owners of 'Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub, where a devastating fire claimed the lives of 25 persons.

The state police had earlier issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against Gupta and another owner Surinder Kumar Khosla. "We have detained Ajay Gupta, one of the owners of the nightclub. This is the sixth person to be held in connection with the case," a Goa police spokesperson said.

"Earlier, an LOC was issued against him as a police team had failed to find him at his Delhi residence when it visited it there," he said, adding that Gupta was later found in the national capital and was detained. He will soon be placed under arrest after the completion of formalities to bring him to Goa, the official said.

Two more owners of the nightclub - Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra - are on the run and a blue corner notice has been issued against them. The police have so far arrested five persons - nightclub's chief general manager Rajiv Modak, general manager Vivek Singh, bar manager Rajiv Singhania, gate manager Riyanshu Thakur and employee Bharat Kohli. Twenty-five persons were killed in the fire at the 'Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub in Arpora in North Goa around midnight on Saturday.