Guwahati, Dec 8: The families of three Assam natives who died in the Goa nightclub fire have said their children were compelled to migrate due to limited livelihood opportunities in the state. The fire broke out after midnight on Sunday at a nightclub in Arpora, Goa, claiming at least 25 lives and injuring six others.

The deceased Manojit Mal (24) and Rahul Tanti (60) from Cachar, and Diganta Patir from Dhemaji were all employed at the nightclub, with Mal and Tanti working in the kitchen and Patir serving as a cook. Their families allege that economic hardships in Assam forced them to seek employment far from home.

Mal and Tanti belonged to the tea tribe community in Barak Valley, where declining tea gardens have left many workers with few employment opportunities. Patir’s family noted that Dhemaji, prone to floods and erosion, provides limited stable employment, prompting both him and his elder brother to migrate to southern states for work.

Families have expressed frustration over insufficient communication from authorities regarding repatriation arrangements. While the bodies of Mal and Tanti have been handed over to relatives in Goa, Patir’s elder brother, who works in Kerala, traveled to Goa to collect his sibling’s body.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed condolences on social media, mourning the loss of the three residents and praying for the speedy recovery of the injured.