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Accused Rohit Arya, who allegedly kidnapped 17 children, was shot in a standoff with the Mumbai Police and later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital
The accused has been identified as Rohit Arya.
It was supposed to be an audition for a web series. At least 100 teenagers showed up over two days, but 17 of them – all 15-year-old girls and boys – did not know that being chosen would turn into a four-hour ordeal riddled with fear and tension.
Trapped by a man, who allegedly held them hostage in a studio in Mumbai’s Powai on Thursday, the 17 children were safely rescued and returned to their guardians after a dramatic rescue operation.
The accused, identified as Rohit Arya, was shot in a standoff with the police and later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital. Police said he was armed and tried to harm the children, but they could not confirm his choice of weapon when he suddenly attacked the quick response team (QRT).
The incident began around noon, when police said Arya arrived at the RA Studio in the Mahavir Classic building. The rescue operation ended around 4.30 when the children were safely brought out of the building.
Here’s how it went down, as per the Mumbai Police:
12 noon: Accused Rohit Arya reaches RA Studio in Powai area of Mumbai
12.30 pm: 17 children reach the audition hall
1 pm: Arya takes all the children hostage and locks the hall
1.15 pm: Children shout for help through the glass outside the hall
1.30 pm: Mumbai Police arrive at the scene. Negotiations between the police and the accused continue for two hours, but the accused does not relent.
3.30 pm: Mumbai Police call the fire brigade
3.45 pm: The fire brigade arrives
3.50 pm: The fire brigade breaks the bathroom window of the studio, after which three police officers enter the hall through the window
4 pm: Upon seeing the police, the accused points an air gun at them and fires
4.10 pm: Police take the accused to the hospital
4.30 pm: All the children are safely evacuated.
“At around 1.30 pm, Powai police station received information that a person had taken 17 children hostage at Mahavir Classic building in Powai. The Mumbai Police team conducted a rescue operation and safely freed all the children. During the operation while rescuing children the person got injured, was immediately rushed to the hospital, and was later declared dead,” Mumbai Police said in a statement.
Police said they thought Arya had fired a real gun. In self-defence, the police inspector fired a shot from his revolver, which struck the accused in the chest.
They said the accused had been running the auditions over two days, and had called the children to the premises. The rescue was executed with swift precision, they added.
A quick response team (QRT) was sent in, the police said. Before the team entered, Arya released a video saying he simply wants to speak with certain people and has “moral demands”. “I am not a terrorist, nor do [I] have any demand of money. But I shall not be held responsible if I am triggered to hurt myself and the children alongside,” he said in the purported video.
The QRT was sent in after the two-hour negotiations with the accused did not work out.
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d…Read More
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d… Read More
October 30, 2025, 8:50 PM IST
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