A tense hostage situation in Mumbai’s Powai area came to a dramatic end on Thursday (October 30) when accused Rohit Arya was reportedly killed in a police encounter. Arya, who had earlier taken several children hostage inside the RA studio, sustained bullet injuries during the encounter with the police and was taken to Jogeshwari Trauma Hospital, where he later died. Rohit Arya, accused of kidnapping several children in Mumbai’s Powai area, died after being shot during police action to rescue the hostages. According to officials, when the police entered the RA studio through the bathroom, the accused was armed with an air gun and had some chemical substances with him.
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Authorities repeatedly asked him to surrender, but he refused. As the situation worsened, the police had to open fire in response to his aggressive behaviour. Arya got shot in this encounter. He was immediately taken to Jogeshwari Trauma Hospital for treatment, where he was later declared brought dead. Police said the firing took place during an attempt to rescue the children, who were safely evacuated from the premises. An investigation is underway to determine the full circumstances of the collision.
The incident began when Pune resident Rohit Arya, a mentally challenged person, allegedly called 17 children, a senior citizen and another citizen to RA Studio on the pretext of auditioning for a web series. Once inside, he locked the doors and held the group hostage for several hours. Police received an emergency call around 1:45 pm, following which the Quick Response Team (QRT) and special units surrounded the building. At first an attempt was made to negotiate a peaceful release of the hostages, but when negotiations failed, the police entered the studio through the bathroom.
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In a carefully coordinated operation, police and fire department personnel rescued all 19 persons, including 17 children. The hostages were found on the ground floor of the studio. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Datta Kishan Nalawade, all the rescued people are safe and have reached their families. The officer confirmed that the focus of the investigation was to ascertain Arya’s intentions and mental state.