The owners of a nightclub in Goa, India, where a devastating fire killed 25 people on Sunday, fled the country hours after the tragedy, police have said.
Indian authorities confirmed the two brothers, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, boarded a flight to Phuket in Thailand shortly after the incident.
Investigators believe the fierce blaze was triggered by fireworks being set off inside the venue, Birch By Romeo Lane, which is located in a busy nightlife area of Goa, a coastal state popular with domestic and international tourists.
The majority of the victims were staff members, while four were holidaymakers visiting from Delhi. Five people are still being treated in hospital.
Police have appealed to Interpol for help to find and arrest the Luthra brothers.
Police said they travelled to Delhi to carry out a raid on the men's home, but discovered they had left the country. It shows their intent to avoid police investigation, Goa police said in a statement.
Saurabh Luthra, whose social media identifies him as the chairman of the company which operates the club, posted a statement on social media expressing profound grief, but did not reference his whereabouts.
At least four people were arrested in the immediate aftermath of the fire, including the venue's manager.
The Birch nightclub in Arpora, an area with several high-end nightlife businesses, was packed with customers who had come to hear a Bollywood DJ when the fire broke out in the early hours of the morning.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of total panic as people tried to flee. The layout of the venue, situated on an island accessed via narrow walkways, complicated firefighting efforts.
Several victims were migrant workers, including four Nepalese nationals. Among the deceased were two brothers engaged to be married next year, along with four members of the same Delhi family.
The police confirmed that the bodies of all victims had been returned to their families.
