A dramatic hostage situation in Mumbai’s Powai area concluded on Thursday after police officers rescued 17 children from a locked film studio. The suspect, identified as Rohit Arya, was shot during the operation and later succumbed to his injuries at a nearby hospital.
The incident began when Arya, a social media channel owner, lured the children, aged 8 to 14, to RA Studio under the false pretense of a web series audition. Once inside, he locked the doors and threatened to harm them.
Police responded to a distress call at approximately 1:45 p.m. Upon arrival, they found Arya armed with an air gun and holding the children captive. Negotiators attempted to de-escalate the situation, but Arya refused to surrender.
The crisis intensified when the suspect threatened to ignite chemicals inside the studio. A police team then forced entry through a bathroom, successfully extracting all 17 children without injury.
Mumbai Standoff Ends: Hostage-Taker Killed, 17 Children Freed@SehgalRahesha speaks to former DGP Vikram Singh @vikramsingh112 pic.twitter.com/9Fx0t8jJ8w
— NDTV (@ndtv) October 30, 2025During the rescue, Arya fired his air gun at the officers. Police returned fire with a single live round, striking him in the chest. He was pronounced dead after being transported to a hospital. A post-mortem examination is underway at JJ Hospital.
Authorities are investigating Arya’s motives. Before the incident, he posted an online video stating he had “chosen hostage-taking instead of suicide” to draw attention to grievances over unpaid dues from a government sanitation project.
He claimed officials owed him Rs. 20 million for work completed under a state education department initiative. Arya had previously staged hunger strikes in 2024 over the same issue.
Police have recovered an air gun and chemical containers from the scene. The case remains under active investigation as authorities examine Arya’s mental state and online activity to determine if the act was premeditated.
