A tense hostage situation in Mumbai’s Powai area ended dramatically on Thursday evening when Rohit Arya — the man accused of holding several children captive at RA Studio — was shot dead during a police operation.
Arya, reportedly a mentally disturbed resident of Pune, had lured 17 children, a senior citizen, and another civilian to the studio under the guise of conducting auditions for a web series.
According to police officials, the rescue operation began after Powai Police Station received a distress call around 1:30 PM, informing them that a man had taken children hostage at Mahavir Classic building in Powai. Responding swiftly, the Mumbai Police surrounded the studio and entered the premises through a bathroom entry point.
Arya was found armed with an air gun and in possession of certain chemical substances. Despite repeated appeals from officers to surrender, he refused to cooperate and continued behaving aggressively. As the situation escalated, police were compelled to open fire in self-defense. Arya sustained bullet injuries during the exchange and was immediately rushed to Jogeshwari Trauma Hospital, where he was later declared dead.
All 17 children were rescued safely, and no civilian casualties were reported. Officials confirmed that the firing occurred strictly in the course of saving the hostages.
Preliminary investigations suggest that Arya had carefully planned the incident. He allegedly contacted parents from various cities, posing as a casting agent and inviting their children for film auditions in Mumbai. One family from Kolhapur said they had come to the city for what they believed was a three-day audition. Arya later persuaded them to extend their stay by another day, claiming the process was still ongoing.
Before the confrontation, Arya reportedly locked himself inside the studio and sent a self-recorded video message to media outlets. Alarmed parents who received calls about the situation immediately alerted police, triggering the swift rescue mission.
