GOA: The owner of Birch by Romeo Lane, Saurabh Luthra, who remains absconding following a devastating fire at his North Goa nightclub that claimed 25 lives and left several others injured, issued his first statement on Monday. In a statement released after the tragedy, the management of Birch by Romeo Lane expressed profound grief and said it was “deeply shaken” by the loss of lives. “The management expresses profound grief and is deeply shaken by the tragic loss of lives resulting from the unfortunate incident at Birch. In this hour of irreparable sorrow and overwhelming distress, the management stands in unwavering solidarity with the families of the deceased as well as those injured, and conveys its heartfelt condolences with utmost sincerity. The management further affirms that it shall extend every possible form of assistance, support and cooperation to the bereaved and affected individuals, as they navigate through this period of immense anguish and adversity,” the statement read. Police have launched efforts to trace Luthra, whose expansion plans reportedly included 50 restaurants across India and have issued a lookout notice.(This is a developing story)