A devastating nightclub fire in North Goa has left a family in Jharkhand shattered, claiming the lives of two brothers among three migrant workers from the state. The inferno at Birch by Romeo Lane in Arpora late on Saturday night resulted in 25 fatalities and six injuries.
Victims Trapped in Basement
The three young men from Jharkhand were all staff members at the nightclub. Officials confirmed they were trapped in the basement area as the fire spread rapidly through the building. They have been identified as 18-year-old Mohit Munda from Govindpur village in Khunti district, and brothers Binod Mahto (19) and Pradeep Mahto (22) from Fatehpur village in Ranchi.
Nishant Sahu, a co-worker from the same village who identified the brothers' bodies, stated that he and 15-16 other men from Jharkhand working in Goa rushed to the hospital upon hearing the news. "We all work in Goa, but at different places. As soon as we heard what happened, we came here," Sahu said. He added that the Mahto brothers had been employed at the nightclub for only a few months.
A Family's Agonizing Wait
The bodies were recovered from the basement and are being prepared for transport to Jharkhand. Sandeep Mahto, a cousin of the deceased brothers, expressed the family's profound shock. "We are just trying to send our boys home. The coffins are being sealed at the hospital," he said. He revealed that the brothers were unmarried and that their eldest brother, Phagu Mahto, had reached Goa but was too distraught to speak. Family members in the village are awaiting the bodies' return.
Vikas Munda, the elder brother of Mohit Munda, identified his sibling's body and grappled with the logistics of bringing him home. "As soon as I received the information about the blaze, I immediately came to see him. This is really tough for me to see all this," he said. He mentioned that their father, Etwa Munda, and others from their village are anxious to receive the remains.
State Machinery Swings Into Action
Relatives of the victims have sought clarifications from the administration regarding the cause of the deadly incident. On the part of the Jharkhand government, Shikha Lakra, Head of the State Migrant Workers Control Room, confirmed contact had been established with all three grieving families.
"The three workers had been employed in Goa for over 10 months. Two of them were brothers from the Mahto family in Ranchi, and the third was from Karra Khunti," Lakra stated. She explained that the control room activated its local NGO partner in Goa to verify the situation at the hospital and assist with coordination. Labour Department teams are actively involved in facilitating the transport of the bodies, with the state government arranging a flight to Ranchi.
Expressing his condolences, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren posted on X, calling the news "extremely heartbreaking." He prayed for peace for the departed souls and strength for the bereaved families, while also wishing a swift recovery for the injured.
