MUMBAI: After reading about the Goa club fire, a Punjabi model and actor Simranpreet Kaur-Arora has come forward and alleged that bouncers and touts outside the Luthra-owned Birch by Romeo Lane Club in North Goa, that was destroyed in a devasting fire killing about 25 people, had demanded Rs 10k per person as entry fee into the elite club during her visit there in the first week of December.
Speaking to this reporter in Mumbai, Simranpreet Kaur-Arora alleged that she had visited the Romeo Lane Club in Goa in the first week of December. “It was a weekend and my friends and I went to the club as we saw digital advertisements on social media projecting the venue as a high profile and elite night spot. When we called a phone number in the advertisement, it was answered by a so-called ‘booking manager’ whom we later on realised was a tout hand-in-glove with the club management,” she claimed.
“When we approached the club entry, the bouncers refused to let us in saying that the venue was full and entry was not possible. As we were going back, we were approached by two men who said they could get us entry into the club on payment of Rs 10,000/- per head. They said it was a very elite club and always full, but there was a VIP area which was reserved and they had access to the VIP reserved area meant only for VIPs. The entry fee was Rs 10k as the seats and space was private and reserved, the touts claimed. When we asked them if the 10k would buy us drinks and food inside the club, we were told there would be no food, only drinks that could be redeemed against the entry fee. Food had to be paid for seperately. As we had travelled all the way from Panaji where we were staying, we decided to pay the amount. The touts took the money and signalled to the bouncers to let us in. When we entered the so-called VIP area in the club venue we were shocked to find that all the seats were taken and there were guests already present in the VIP area. We approached the staff, who said they were helpless as other gate crashers or guests may have ursped our seats. We demanded our money back or or seats in the so-called reserved VIP area, but were flatly denied any assistance. You go and claim your seats yourself,” we were told by the staff, who were very rude and rowdy, treating us like second-class cattle-class citizens,” she said.
“When we went to get our complimentary drinks, we were told that there were only certain brands available complimentary and due to the rush all the complimentary drinks were finished. We could buy the other brands on payment of the charges as per the menu. So once again we realised, we were conned and no complimentary drinks were available. The promise of complimentary drinks was only a ruse to get us to pay the entry fee of Rs 10k per head. It was a con joba nd the hotel management was obviously hand-in-glove with the touts outside the venue. Later on we learnt that touts operate outside all the clubs and night spots in Goa and charge double or triple amounts as ‘entry fee’. We did not get even a glass of water complimentary or free in the club in spite of paying Rs 10k per head. We were forced to pay for everything, including drinking water bottles. Realising that we had been conned and cheated, we left the place, vowing never to visit Romeo Lane Club in North Goa ever again,” Simranpreet Kaur-Arora stated.
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