A long-awaited family vacation turned into an unimaginable tragedy when a massive fire tore through a nightclub in Arpora, Goa, in the early hours of Sunday, claiming 25 lives, including four members of a Delhi family from Karawal Nagar.
The deceased have been identified as Vinod Kumar (43), Kamla Joshi (42), Anita Joshi (41), and Saroj Joshi (39). Bhavna Joshi, Vinod’s wife and sister to the three deceased women, survived with injuries, Goa Police confirmed.
The five family members had left Delhi less than a week ago, excited for a short break they had planned for months. The four sisters, now with older children, had hoped for a few days of rest. Vinod had accompanied them to ensure their safety during the trip.
Back in Karawal Nagar, the news has plunged the neighbourhood into shock. Neighbours and relatives described the deaths as “unbearable” and “irreplaceable,” criticising the lack of safety enforcement at the nightclub.
Mahipal Singh Bhandari, a neighbour of nearly four decades, said,
“It is heartbreaking that four members of the same family died because of someone else’s irresponsibility.”
Harish, another relative, emphasised the urgent need for stricter safety checks and accountability.
“If the club had been ordered shut, how was it operating? Fire-safety norms must be enforced everywhere. Families have lost their loved ones forever,” he said.
At the family home, relatives are struggling to protect the children and the elderly mother from the devastating news.
Vinod and Bhavna’s children, aged 11 and 6, have been kept away from the crowds gathering outside. Kamla’s children, aged 18 and 14, remain in shock, still expecting their mother to return with souvenirs from Goa.
Meanwhile, Vinod’s elderly mother waits at the doorstep, unaware that the farewell she bid her family last week has become permanent. Relatives say she repeatedly asks if the “injured” have been moved to a safer hospital, still hoping they will return home soon.
Authorities are continuing investigations into the nightclub’s operations, with reports suggesting the establishment may have been functioning illegally despite closure notices. Families and neighbours have demanded strict action against those responsible.