Goa Bachelor Trip Tragedy: Bengaluru Techie Dies After Returning to Retrieve Phone

A bachelor trip to Goa turned into a devastating tragedy for a 25-year-old Bengaluru techie, Mohammed Ishaq, who lost his life in the massive fire at Birch by Romeo Lane, where 25 people were killed around midnight on December 6. Ishaq, a data analyst employed at a private firm in Bengaluru, had travelled to Goa with five friends to celebrate the upcoming wedding of one of them. Initially, Ishaq and his friends were able to escape the nightclub when they noticed the rapidly spreading fire. However, he made the fateful decision to return inside to retrieve his mobile phone, a move that ultimately cost him his life.

Family members revealed that Ishaq had spoken to his father just hours before the tragic incident. His relatives stated that he had been enjoying the trip and sounded cheerful during the call. Reports indicate that Ishaq may not have died due to burn injuries, as his body showed only minor burns. Instead, an acquaintance of the family told TOI that he may have succumbed to a stampede or cardiac arrest. Police later informed his family that he likely died in the chaotic rush to exit the nightclub once the fire intensified.

Adding another angle to the tragedy, landowner Pradeep Ghadi Amonkar—original owner of the property where the nightclub was operating—stated that he had been flagging illegalities surrounding the establishment for nearly two decades. Amonkar, who calls himself a whistleblower, said he and another complainant had repeatedly approached the Arpora-Nagoa panchayat. A demolition notice was even issued in 2024, but the owner managed to obtain a stay order from the Directorate of Panchayats. The tragedy has now renewed questions about illegal construction, safety norms, and regulatory failures that may have contributed to the devastating loss of 25 lives.