Two brothers wanted in connection with a deadly fire at their nightclub in India's Goa state, which killed 25 people, have been detained in Thailand, India's ambassador to Thailand, Nagesh Singh, told the BBC.
Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, who own Birch By Romeo Lane club, fled to Phuket shortly after the incident earlier this week.
They will be sent back [to India], Mr. Singh said on Thursday, a day after a court in Delhi refused to grant them protection from arrest and the Goa government approached India's external affairs ministry to revoke their passports.
The brothers stated that they never intended to evade the law and will cooperate with authorities on returning to India.
The incident occurred early on Sunday when a deadly blaze erupted at the club in a busy nightlife area of the tourist state.
Investigators believe the fire was triggered by fireworks being set off inside the venue. Most of the victims were staff members, while five were tourists.
Authorities raided the brothers' Delhi residence shortly after the blaze but found they had already left the country, prompting police to seek Interpol's assistance in tracking them down.
The Luthra brothers issued a statement through their lawyer expressing their intention to return to India and cooperate with law enforcement. They expressed profound grief for the tragedy and pledged support for the victims' families.
In the wake of the incident, Goa's Chief Minister Pramod Sawant confirmed that six arrests related to the fire have been made, with more potentially forthcoming. Goa is known for its vibrant nightlife and attracts millions of tourists every year.
