Know Hudson’s Bloody History and the Luthra Brothers’ Connection to Hudson Lane

Know the history of the place from where Romeo Lane's owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra started their business journey.

About ten days after a fire at Birch by Romeo Lane in Arpora, Goa, claimed the lives of 25 people, club owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra have been apprehended by Indian police. Both have been brought to India from Thailand. The Goa Police took the two brothers into custody as soon as they disembarked from a ship in New Delhi on Tuesday (December 16).

The two brothers have so far distanced themselves from these deaths. It remains to be seen whether they will be held responsible for these fatalities.

The Story of Hudson Lane

The business journey of the Luthra brothers began in Delhi from Hudson Lane, named after a British Major, William Stephen Raikes Hodson. This Major had brutally suppressed the rebellion of 1857. During that time, Hodson had the sons and grandsons of Bahadur Shah Zafar publicly beheaded. Mirza Mughal, Mirza Khizr Sultan, and Mirza Abu Bakr (grandson) surrendered before Major Hodson.
On September 22, 1857, Hodson was taking them to the Red Fort in a bullock cart. As they crossed Khooni Darwaza, their convoy was surrounded by locals. The people had come with shrouds (white cloth) tied to their heads. Hodson became agitated. He ordered the beheading of all three. After this, their bodies were left in the open in Chandni Chowk.
Khooni Darwaza is near Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Central Delhi. This gate is in the middle of the road. The British had murdered six princes here and hung the heads of three from this very gate.

The Story of Outram Lines

During the British era, barracks were built in Hudson Lane and Outram Lines during the 1857 rebellion. After the partition of the country in 1947, large refugee camps were set up in this area. This camp was established in the Kingsway Camp area. Today's GTB Nagar (Guru Tegh Bahadur Nagar) area included Hudson Lane, Outram Lines, Hakikat Nagar, etc. Later, refugees built houses and started living here. Subsequently, the Delhi Development Authority developed these areas and provided housing to people.

While the Luthra brothers started their cafe business from Hudson Lane, their home is in Outram Lines. It is reported that their family has been living here for 35 years. They have built a magnificent four-storey house.

Romeo Lane Became a Hit

About a decade ago, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra opened a small cafe named 'Mama's Boui' in Hudson Lane. The cafe became popular due to the crowd of young boys and girls studying in the area. Along with this, the Luthra brothers' fortunes also began to rise. Then, one cafe after another opened. The first Romeo Lane opened in Civil Lines, Delhi. Soon, a chain of Romeo Lane outlets was established. Within a few years, it had about two and a half dozen outlets. The Luthra brothers are also accused of running 42 companies from a single address.

No Remorse for 25 Deaths

The Luthra brothers do not seem to have any remorse for the 25 deaths caused by the fire at their club. Their lawyer clearly distanced them from the incident in court, stating that the brothers had no involvement in the daily operations of the club. In such a situation, the responsibility of ensuring justice for the families of the deceased falls on the police and investigative agencies.

What Has Happened So Far

The incident occurred on the night of December 6. Of those who died, 20 were reportedly club staff and five were tourists. The initial cause of the incident is believed to be a firecracker that went off inside, which ignited the blaze. The fire spread rapidly due to furniture and other flammable materials. There were no adequate fire-fighting arrangements, and people could not escape. This led to a large number of casualties.
Upon hearing about the fire, club owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra fled to Thailand. One partner was apprehended in Delhi. A Look-Out Circular and an Interpol Blue Corner Notice were issued to locate the Luthra brothers. Finally, both were apprehended in Phuket, Thailand. They were then brought to India on December 16.
Meanwhile, 'bulldozer action' was also taken against the Luthra brothers. They had another club in Goa, which was reportedly an illegal construction. It was demolished.

But Will We Learn a Lesson?

Even after this tragedy, the question remains whether we will learn a lesson. Will we take the safety of people seriously in places of entertainment? The question arises because such incidents are frequently reported. Just last year, 27 people died in a fire at an amusement park arcade in Rajkot (Gujarat).
In 2019, 17 lives were lost in a fire at Hotel Arpit Palace in Karol Bagh (Delhi). In 2018, 14 people died in a fire at a rooftop pub/restaurant in Kamala Mills (Mumbai). In 1997, 59 people died due to a fire in the Uphaar Cinema in Delhi.

In almost all these incidents, violations of rules and systemic flaws have been identified as the root cause. The same appears to be the case with the Goa club.