Guwahati: The families of three Assam natives who died in the Goa nightclub fire have said their children were driven to migrate because of limited livelihood opportunities back home. The fire, which broke out shortly after midnight on Sunday at a nightclub in Arpora, killed at least 25 people and left six injured.

The deceased have been identified as Manojit Mal, 24, and Rahul Tanti, 60, from Cachar, and Diganta Patir from Dhemaji.

All three worked at the nightclub. Mal and Tanti were part of the kitchen staff, while Patir served as a cook. Their families say economic hardship in Assam pushed them to seek work far from home.

Mal and Tanti belonged to the tea tribe community in Barak Valley, where many tea gardens have been in decline, leaving workers with shrinking employment options. Patir’s family said Dhemaji’s recurring floods and erosion have made stable jobs scarce, prompting both Diganta and his elder brother to migrate to southern states for work.

Relatives have also voiced frustration over what they describe as inadequate communication from authorities about the repatriation process. The bodies of Mal and Tanti have been handed over to their families in Goa. Patir’s elder brother, who works in Kerala, travelled to Goa to receive his sibling’s body.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma offered condolences on social media, mourning the loss of the three residents and praying for the recovery of those injured in the incident.