Nineteen people, including 17 teenagers who had been held hostage by a man in R A Studio in Mumbai’s Powai area, were safely rescued by police on Thursday afternoon.
Who is Rohit Arya?
Rohit Arya, the man who held children hostage, was shot dead by the Mumbai police during a rescue operation. In a circulating video on X, Arya released a video on social media, saying he wanted to speak to a few people and ask them questions, and he did not want money. He further claimed that he is “not a terrorist”.
‘If I die, someone else will do it’
Arya said, “I, Rohit Arya, instead of committing suicide, have taken children hostage. I have no demands, only moral and ethical ones. I have some questions; I want to ask a few people some questions. I am neither a terrorist nor do I have any financial demands. I just want to have a simple conversation, and for that reason, I have taken these children hostage. I have taken them as part of a plan. I was genuinely going to carry out the exchange — I still will. If I stay alive, I will do it myself; if I die, someone else will do it. But it will happen. It will happen with these same children, as long as they are not harmed,” said the accused, Rohit Arya.
Rohit Arya was carrying air gun: Police
Satyanaranyan, Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) said that all the children are safe and have been handed over to their parents. Arya had apparently called the children — boys and girls around 15 years old — for an audition for a web series, the official said, as reported by PTI.
“Arya was also carrying an air gun and some chemicals,” he added, as reported by PTI.
“Police received a call at about 1.45 pm about a man holding children hostage inside R A Studio in Mahavir Classic building,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police Datta Nalawade.
“Powai police officials, along with a Quick Response Team (QRT), Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad and a fire brigade team reached the spot,” he said.
If he was not allowed to do so, he would set fire to the studio, he threatened.
Police tried to negotiate with him, but as the talks made no headway, a police team entered the studio through the bathroom and overpowered him with the help of another person who was inside, DCP Nalawade said.
Seventeen children, a senior citizen and the man (who helped the police) were rescued.
Police are probing Arya’s background, the DCP said.
Here’s what the eyewitness said
Dinesh Goswami, who is present at the spot, said, “An audition was ongoing here for the past 3 days, the man (Rohit Arya) extended it by 3 more days. Suddenly, a message was received that he had kidnapped 17 children.”
He added, “When these children did not come out for lunch, the parents panicked. Someone might have called up the Police. When the Police reached here, it was found that the children had been kidnapped. Mumbai Police team went in and safely rescued the children…It should be investigated whether the studio is legal or illegal, the perpetrator should be given strict punishment.”
It should be investigated whether the studio is legal or illegal, the perpetrator should be given strict punishment.
Further investigation is underway.
(With inputs from agencies)
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