A tense three-hour standoff occurred in Mumbai’s Powai area on Thursday, when 50-year-old Rohit Arya held 17 children hostage in a rented studio. Arya had set up motion sensors, cameras, and alarms in advance, pretending to conduct a casting audition. Armed with an airgun and flammable spray, he threatened to ignite the studio if police intervened. The crisis began around 1:30 PM, after parents grew concerned when their children did not return from the audition. Bystanders noticed the children crying behind glass, prompting the police to deploy the Quick Response Team, bomb squad, and fire brigade. While one group attempted negotiations, others infiltrated the building through ducts and vents.
Arya’s actions were motivated by a ₹2 crore payment dispute with the Maharashtra education department over the Majhi Shala, Sundar Shala initiative’s film projects. In a video recorded during the standoff, he insisted he was not a criminal but rather seeking justice for unpaid bills. As negotiations failed and Arya escalated threats, officer Amol Waghmare fired a shot that fatally injured him. All 17 children and two adults were rescued safely and taken for medical evaluations. Arya was pronounced dead at Hindu Hridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Hospital. The Mumbai Police later disclosed that Arya had been preparing his setup since Monday, linking motion sensors to his phone for movement detection.
However, he was ultimately outmaneuvered by the rescue teams, who managed to save everyone inside the building through swift and coordinated efforts.