‘It Was Their First Trip to Goa’: Four Members of Delhi Family Killed in Nightclub Fire

A family in Delhi is grappling with unimaginable loss after four of its members were confirmed dead in the devastating fire at a Goa nightclub early Sunday.

The blaze at Birch by Romeo Lane claimed at least 25 lives — including 20 staff members — after it tore through the upscale venue in the early hours. Among the victims were three sisters, Anita, Kamla, and Saroj Joshi, and Vinod Kumar, the husband of their sister Bhavna Joshi, who is the sole survivor from the group.

Authorities have identified and preserved the bodies of Anita and Kamla, while two others were so severely charred that identification has been extremely difficult.

Kamla, the eldest of the sisters, is survived by her husband Naveen, a businessman, and their two children. Vinod — also a businessman — was Naveen’s brother, as both sisters had married into the same family. He too leaves behind a wife and two children.

Mother Not Yet Informed of Daughters’ Deaths

The family’s elderly mother in Karawal Nagar remains unaware of the tragedy.
“She is unwell, and nobody has had the courage to tell her,” said Harish Singh, a close family friend. “They left for Goa last week. It was their first trip. They were so excited… none of us imagined this.”

Singh said the family has restricted visitors to prevent any distressing news from reaching her.

A Desperate Attempt to Save One Another

According to Singh, the group had finished their meal at the nightclub and were preparing to leave when chaos erupted. One of the sisters became trapped inside, prompting the others — followed by Vinod — to run back in to rescue her.

“They rushed in to save her, but none of them made it out,” he said. “Bhavna was the only one who managed to escape. We kept calling their phones when we heard about the fire… panic was everywhere. Finally, a policeman contacted Naveen.”

Bhavna later described scenes of panic, smoke, and blocked exits.
“There was chaos… people were running, some stuck in the kitchen. There were no proper escape routes,” Singh recounted from his conversation with her. “She said she got out only because someone pushed her toward the exit.”

Community in Shock

Local councillor Neeta Bisht said she has been trying to reach the grieving family. “Everyone is too traumatised to speak,” she said.

As investigations into the massive blaze continue, the tragic story of the Joshi family underscores the human toll of one of Goa’s deadliest nightclub fires in recent years.