“They Hit Us And Blocked The Exit”: Woman Narrates Horror At Goa’s Romeo Lane, Sparks Debate On Tourist Safety

A woman has alleged assault and intimidation at Goa’s Romeo Lane, claiming staff “hit us and blocked the exit”. Her account has resurfaced amid growing concerns over tourist safety, prompting authorities to reassess nightclub security standards.

Goa authorities have once again turned their attention to safety lapses at Vagator’s popular nightclub Romeo Lane after a tourist’s shocking account of “assault, intimidation and unsafe conditions” resurfaced online. The renewed concern comes at a time when the club’s co-owners, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, are already under scrutiny following a devastating fire at their affiliated establishment Birch by Romeo Lane, which claimed 25 lives. The testimony has prompted officials to revisit long-standing concerns about the club’s “hazardous design”, staff conduct and overall approach to guest safety.

Tourist Claims ‘Suffocating’ Layout And Aggressive Staff Behaviour

Vaibhavi, who visited the club last November, described Romeo Lane as “poorly designed” and “suffocating”. She said the premises had “only one entry and one exit”, both positioned at an elevated height, making movement extremely difficult, particularly during emergencies. She added that staff were “rude, dismissive and unprofessional”, and that the situation began to escalate as her group attempted to leave around 3 am.

She recalled that a heavy chair was obstructing their exit path. When her cousin gently moved it with his foot, a manager confronted them and allegedly said, “You are damaging the furniture. You do not have the status to be here.” 

She further claimed that the manager grabbed her cousin’s collar and continued speaking aggressively.

Bouncers Allegedly Assaulted Group And Blocked Exit

According to Vaibhavi, the situation deteriorated rapidly after the manager called for the security staff. 

She said, “The bouncers started chasing us and raising their hands at us.” Her sister was allegedly pushed with such force that she “fell down the stairs”, while other family members were assaulted as they attempted to leave the club.

She also claimed that security personnel placed a barricade at the gate to stop them from exiting. “When my brother tried to remove it, a bouncer ran towards him with a rod and started hitting him. When I tried to stop him, he hit me too. The language they used was extremely abusive,” she said.

The group eventually decided to leave the premises and visit the police station the following morning.

Vaibhavi explained, “We were all injured and traumatised. Since it was very late, we chose to approach the police the next day.”

FIR Filed After Struggle; Owners’ Names Removed

Vaibhavi stated that filing the FIR required significant effort. Although she had included the owners’ names in her original complaint, she said the police removed them on the grounds that the brothers were “not physically present” during the incident. 

She expressed disappointment and added, “If women’s safety and tourist safety are not taken seriously, such incidents will keep happening in Goa.”

Luthra Brothers Detained Abroad After Fatal Fire at Affiliated Club

In a separate development, the Luthra brothers, who co-own the fire-hit Birch by Romeo Lane, were detained by Thai authorities at a hotel in Phuket. They reportedly left India shortly after the tragic blaze that killed 25 people. Officials confirmed that their passports were suspended by the Regional Passport Office in Delhi after they failed to respond to a notice. Once their travel documents were cancelled, Thai authorities were able to act on India’s request for their detention.