India, Dec. 12 -- In the days following the devastating fire at Goa's Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, the state's carefree party landscape has been forced into an unfamiliar mood right before its most popular tourist season. Even as the owners, brothers Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra have been detained in Thailand, the party scene in Goa is hazy.

The Vagator belt, usually buzzing with pre-Christmas energy, now feels muted, cautious and unsure. "The footfall has dropped sharply. I went to a club recently and there were barely eight people. At the same club, last week, there were close to 300 people. Many clubs have cancelled evening performances such as belly dancers and jugglers, which were a given, earlier," says Mriduel Arora, who run...