Mumbai hostage crisis: Over 20 children rescued in Powai studio incident, suspect dies during stand-off

Police successfully concluded a nearly three-hour long dramatic hostage situation on Thursday, safely rescuing 17 children and two adults held at a studio in Powai by a person who died from a bullet injury sustained during police action.

The incident unfolded around 1.30 pm after the Powai police station received an alert that a person identified as Rohit Arya (50) had taken 17 children hostage inside RA Studio in the Mahavir Classic building.

The children, boys and girls between the ages of 10 to 12, had been called to the studio for an audition for a web series that had been ongoing for two days.

In a video released before police intervention, hostage-taker Arya explained his motive, claiming he made a plan to hold the children instead of committing suicide.

“I have very simple demands. Very moral, ethical demands. I have some questions,” Arya said, adding, “I want to speak to some people... I want these answers. I am not a terrorist, nor do I have any demand for money. (I) want to make simple conversations.”

He issued a stern warning to authorities that “the slightest wrong move from your end may trigger me to set this whole place on fire.... whether I die or not, the children will be unnecessarily hurt, traumatised for sure.... I should not be held responsible.”.

Arya ended by saying that after the “conversations”, he would leave the room and vaguely added that “a lot of people have these problems” and that he would offer a solution through talks, though he never specified what the problems were.

“Around 1.30 pm, the Powai police station received information that a person had taken 17 children hostage at the Mahavir Classic building. The Mumbai police team conducted a rescue operation and safely freed all the children. During the operation, while rescuing the children, the person got injured, was immediately rushed to the hospital and later declared dead,” said DC Datta Nalawade.

Arya was declared dead at 5.15 pm, officials said.

“All the children are safe,” said Satyanaranyan, Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) around 4.15 pm.

According to police, Arya was carrying an air gun and also some chemicals. Anxious parents waited outside the 10-storey building as the hostage drama unfolded.

After receiving a call about a man holding children hostage inside RA Studio in the Mahavir Classic building, Powai police officials along with a Quick Response Team (QRT), Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad and a fire brigade team reached the spot, said DC Nalawade.

Before the police entered the studio, Arya released his video which went viral on social media.

DC Nalawade said the police tried to negotiate with him, but as the talks made no headway, a police team entered the studio through the bathroom. The fire brigade provided a ladder for the police to climb to a first-floor window.

Seventeen children, a senior citizen and another man were rescued, Nalawade said.

“It was a challenging operation, because we were negotiating with him without any positive outcome.... To save the children’s lives was our priority,” he said.

Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad said the incident indicated deterioration in the city’s law and order situation.

“Rohit Arya had worked on major projects with the Maharashtra Education Department, and he claimed he was owed Rs 2 crore, for which he had held protests earlier. Due to this negligence on the part of the government, the lives of many children were put in danger today,” claimed the Lok Sabha MP from Mumbai North Central.

When asked by reporters about the incident in Amravati, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, said details will be shared soon.