Mumbai, Oct. 30 -- Rohit Arya, a 50-year-old from Mumbai, became the centre of a citywide scare on Thursday when his personal frustration with the system spiralled into a desperate act. Angry over what he claimed were unpaid dues and official neglect, Arya took 17 children and two adults hostage inside a Powai studio, turning what was meant to be a routine web series audition into a tense, three-hour standoff. Police commandos eventually stormed the building, rescuing all the hostages unharmed. Arya was injured in the operation and was later declared dead at a hospital. The crisis unfolded with the tension of a movie scene, as commandos climbed a ladder to breach the studio and end the drama that had held Mumbai on edge.
The incident began around 1.30 pm when Powai police received an alert that a group of children had been taken hostage inside R A Studio, located in the Mahavir Classic building. The children, aged between 10 and 12, had been invited for an audition for a web series that had been ongoing for two days.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone X) Datta Nalawade said the force acted swiftly after receiving the call. "At about 1.30 pm, Powai police station received information that a person had taken 17 children hostage at 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," Nalawade said. Arya was pronounced dead at 5.15 pm.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Satyanarayan confirmed at 4.15 pm that all the children were safe. The operation, carried out by the Quick Response Team (QRT), lasted approximately 35 minutes once the final order to intervene was given.
Before police entered, Arya released a video message in which he attempted to justify his actions. "I have very simple demands. Very moral, ethical demands. I have some questions," he said. Claiming he did not want money or publicity, Arya stated, "I am not a terrorist. I only want to talk to some people. 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." In the video, Arya said he had chosen to hold children hostage instead of committing suicide, suggesting that he wanted to draw attention to certain grievances. He added cryptically that "a lot of people have these problems" and that he wanted to offer "a solution through talks."
Police officials said Arya was armed with an air gun, a lighter, and chemicals, which raised fears that he could cause a fire or explosion. As negotiators tried to talk him down, anxious parents waited outside the ten-storey building while police cordoned off the area and evacuated nearby floors.
The police first attempted to negotiate with Arya for nearly two hours. "It was a challenging operation because we were negotiating with him without any positive outcome. To save the children's lives was our priority," DCP Nalawade said. When talks failed and Arya became increasingly agitated, threatening to burn the children alive if his demands were not met, senior officers decided to act. The QRT team of eight commandos entered the studio through a bathroom window on the
first floor, using a ladder provided by the fire brigade to maintain the element of surprise.
According to officials, Arya fired at the police as soon as they entered, using what appeared to be a real firearm. "We were not in a position to take any chance," a senior officer said. The commandos immediately retaliated, and Arya was shot during the exchange. Only later was it confirmed that his gun was an air gun.
Inside the studio, chaos prevailed. "The room was completely cramped when the team entered," an official said. The children were huddled in corners, crying and terrified as commandos manoeuvred through overturned lights and scattered film equipment to reach them. Within 35 minutes, the hostages were freed, and Arya was subdued. Seventeen children, a senior citizen, and another man present in the studio were evacuated and given medical checkups before being reunited with their families. Forensic teams recovered the air gun, lighter, and chemicals from the scene for examination. Officials said the presence of flammable substances suggested Arya may have been prepared to carry out his threats. Police investigations revealed that Arya had been in dispute with the Maharashtra Education Department. He had earlier claimed that he was owed Rs 2 crore for work on a sanitation campaign known as the PLC Sanitation Monitor Project, which he said operated under the Chief Minister's 'My Shala, Sundar Shala' initiative. The project, part of Arya's own "Let's Change" campaign started in 2013, aimed to make schoolchildren "ambassadors of cleanliness."
Arya alleged that despite official sanction, he had not been paid since January 2024 and that his appeals to authorities were ignored. He had also accused officials of excluding him from the programme after he went on hunger strike twice. Arya claimed that former Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar had given him two cheques worth Rs 7 lakh and Rs 8 lakh as personal help and had promised further payments that never came.
However, Maharashtra Education Secretary Ranjit Singh Deol denied these claims. "He volunteered for the work and was awarded a certificate for his contribution. There was no agreement to pay Rohit Arya Rs 2 crore. He was in talks with the government for the 'My Shala, Sundar Shala' programme, but it did not materialise. The government does not owe him any dues," Deol clarified.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, told reporters in Amravati that details of the incident would be released after a full inquiry. "The matter is under review," he said. Police said Arya appeared mentally unstable and had planned to question him about his motive and psychological condition. His death, however, left many questions unanswered.
Officers involved in the operation described the situation as one of the most delicate rescue missions in recent years in the city. "The decision to open fire was taken only when he shot at us. There was no other option left," an officer said. By evening, the rescued children had been safely handed over to their guardians after medical evaluation. Many parents, who had waited anxiously for hours outside the building, broke down in relief as police escorted their children out. The Powai police have registered a case and begun an investigation into Arya's background, his grievances, and how he managed to bring chemicals and a weapon-like object into the studio. Forensic experts are analysing the seized materials to determine whether they posed an explosive risk.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.