India, Oct. 31 -- In a high-voltage hostage drama that lasted for nearly two hours inside an audition-studio in Mumbai, the police on Thursday rescued 19 persons, including 17 children, after shooting down a young man who threatened to harm them.

The suspect, identified as Rohit Arya, suffered bullet wounds during a firing. The police fired at Arya after he fired at them using an air gun. The police rushed Arya to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead on admission.

The investigations have revealed that Arya had called the children - aged between 8 and 14 years - to the RA Studio at the Mahaveer Classic building in Powai on pretext of auditions for a web series.

Soon after that, Arya held them hostage.

The hostage drama unfolde...