The deaths of three young men from Assam in a devastating nightclub fire in Goa have left families grappling with grief and bitterness, as they say their loved ones were driven to migrate in search of work that their home districts could not provide.
Rahul Tanti, 60, and Manojit Mal, 24, both from Cachar, and Diganta Patir from Dhemaji were on duty at the “Birch by Romeo Lane” nightclub in Arpora when a fierce blaze erupted shortly after midnight on Sunday. At least 25 people were killed and six others injured, with most victims trapped on the ground floor and succumbing to suffocation.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed his condolences on X, naming the three workers from the state and wishing a swift recovery for the injured. The bodies of Tanti and Mal, who served in the nightclub’s kitchen, have been handed over to their relatives in Goa. Patir’s elder brother, who works in Kerala, has travelled to Goa to receive his body. Patir had been employed as a cook at the establishment.
Relatives voiced frustration over the lack of clear communication regarding arrangements to bring the bodies home. Families of Mal and Tanti said the two had left the Barak Valley because of dwindling job prospects, while villagers confirmed that worsening living conditions and shrinking employment opportunities in tea gardens had pushed many youths to seek work elsewhere. Patir’s mother, overcome with sorrow, said both her sons had been compelled to migrate as frequent floods and erosion in Dhemaji had left them with virtually no means of livelihood.
The tragedy has sparked anger in Goa after survivors alleged that the nightclub was operating in violation of safety regulations. Police suspect the fire may have been triggered by a cylinder blast, though one survivor claimed that fireworks used during a dance performance could have set off the blaze.
As Assam mourns the loss of its three young men, the incident has renewed concern over the state’s long-standing unemployment crisis, which continues to force thousands—especially from economically fragile regions—to seek work far from home, often at great personal risk.
