Two brothers among three Jharkhand workers dead in Goa nightclub fire

Lapung (Ranchi), Dec 7 (PTI) Three migrant workers from Jharkhand were among those killed in the Goa nightclub fire, their family said on Sunday.

Two brothers, Pradeep (24) and Vinod Mahto (20), from Fatehpur village in Lapung, and Mohti Manda (22) from Govindpur village in Khunti district’s Karra block, died in the incident, their families told PTI.

Phagu Mahto (32), elder brother of Pradeep and Vinod, said they learnt of the deaths around 3am after one of their relatives in Goa called.

"I lost both my brothers - Pradeep and Vinod. We came to know about it when we received a call from Nishan Kumar, one of our relatives who had gone to Goa in search of livelihood. My father Dhaneshwar Mahto is shocked." At least 25 people were killed and six others suffered injuries in a massive fire that erupted at a nightclub in North Goa after midnight on Sunday.

The deceased included four tourists and 14 staff members, while the identities of the remaining seven were yet to be established, police said.

Six persons who suffered injuries in the blaze and they are currently undergoing treatment at the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim.

Phagu said both the brothers had migrated to Goa around 10-12 months ago and were scheduled to celebrate Holi with family next year.

"My brothers used to send around Rs 30,000 per month to support the family here. Both were unmarried," he said.

So far none of the officials or any representatives from the state government have contacted the family, Phagu claimed.

His wife Sulanti said the family is very poor and they depended on their meagre income from a makeshift sweets shop in the village and money sent by the brothers.

In Govindpur, the family of Mohti Munda received a similar call informing them of his death. Relatives said his father, Etwa Manda, was in shock.

His son, Mohti Manda (22) who worked in the same nightclub had also died in the blaze.

An official at the state migrant control room in Ranchi said they had contacted all affected families and efforts were underway to reach the employer in Goa. PTI NAM MNB