Mumbai: Police in Mumbai shot dead a 50-year-old man and freed 18 people, 17 of them children, whom he had allegedly taken hostage at a studio in Powai Thursday afternoon.
The incident took place at Ra Studio in Powai’s Mahavir Classik building. Police said the children, aged between 10 and 12 years, had come to the studio from different parts of Maharashtra for an audition when a man, later identified as Rohit Arya, allegedly locked them inside and threatened to harm them and himself.
What Happened at Powai Studio
17 children were rescued from a Powai flat in Mumbai after a man named Rohit Arya took them hostage. The accused, reportedly disturbed over work-related dues, had threatened to harm the children and himself. Mumbai Police teams from Powai and Sakinaka stations acted swiftly, storming into the studio to end the standoff. The kids, who were in Mumbai for an ad shoot audition, were safely reunited with their parents.
As he held the children hostage, Arya released a video in an eerily calm tone where he said he had no intention to hurt the children but wanted to speak to certain people to help him recover ₹2 crore that the Maharashtra education department owed him. Arya reportedly used to make short films and had worked with Maharashtra government for a campaign.
The dramatic rescue involved seizing an airgun and chemicals from Arya’s possession. Officials described the accused as mentally unstable. The shocking episode has sparked fresh debate about safety during children’s auditions and mental health awareness.
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