Understanding Interpol's Color-Coded Notices: Goa Club Owners Face Blue Corner Alert After Deadly Fire

The proprietors of the Goa nightclub where a tragic fire claimed 25 lives on Saturday night, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, departed from India to Thailand shortly after the incident, according to authorities' Monday statement. The siblings boarded a flight from Mumbai to Phuket at 5:30 am on Sunday, immediately following the registration of an FIR, as reported by Goa police. Law enforcement visited the brothers' Delhi residences only to discover they were absent, subsequently posting notices at their homes. Later that day, a lookout circular (LOC) was issued by the Bureau of Immigration at the request of Goa Police.

The blaze at Birch by Romeo Lane is thought to have been sparked by pyrotechnics used during a dance performance. At least five individuals have been detained thus far.

With the Luthra brothers now outside Indian jurisdiction, sources indicate that the CBI will likely request Interpol to issue a Blue Corner Notice. Goa Police confirmed they are working with the CBI's Interpol division "to apprehend them at the earliest opportunity."

Interpol's Blue Corner Notice is designed to gather information regarding a person's identity, whereabouts, or activities in connection with criminal matters. It is primarily utilized when law enforcement agencies have identified their persons of interest but require assistance in monitoring their cross-border movements.

Interpol distributes eight categories of notices, each serving a distinct purpose. These notices are not international arrest warrants but rather alerts circulated among the organization's 196 member nations.

The various Interpol color-coded notices serve different functions. A Red Notice is issued to locate and provisionally arrest individuals wanted for extradition, based on valid national arrest warrants. Yellow Notices help locate missing persons or identify those unable to identify themselves. Black Notices are used to collect information about unidentified bodies.

Green Notices warn countries about individuals considered potential threats to public safety, typically due to their criminal backgrounds. Orange Notices alert countries to events, objects, or processes posing immediate threats, such as explosives or disguised weapons. Purple Notices are utilized to seek or provide information on criminal methodologies, including modus operandi, tools, or concealed weapons. UN Special Notices are issued for individuals or entities subject to United Nations Security Council sanctions.

Interpol, officially the International Criminal Police Organisation, functions as a global network facilitating cooperation between police forces from different countries to combat crime. Established in 1923 and headquartered in Lyon, France, it comprises 196 member countries.

While Interpol does not maintain its own arrest officers, it shares intelligence, coordinates investigations, and issues notices to alert countries about criminals, missing individuals, or threats. The organization also maintains databases on wanted persons, stolen property, and passports.