Key Points:
- Rohit Arya, 38, died on Thursday, October 30, 2025, after being shot during a police rescue operation at RA Studios in Powai, Mumbai
- He held 17 children aged between 8 and 14 years hostage for approximately two hours after luring them for fake web series auditions
- Police conducted a forced entry through the bathroom at 1:45 PM after Arya threatened to set the studio on fire and harm the children
- Arya fired at police with an air gun during the rescue operation, prompting officers to return one round of fire that proved fatal
- He recorded a video claiming he wanted “moral and ethical conversations” with former Maharashtra Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar over unpaid dues from a school sanitation project
- Police recovered an air gun and chemical containers from the scene; all 17 children were rescued safely and reunited with their guardians
Mumbai: Rohit Arya, the 38-year-old man who held 17 children hostage at RA Studios in Mumbai’s Powai area on Thursday, October 30, 2025, died after being shot during a police rescue operation. The dramatic confrontation ended with Arya succumbing to bullet injuries at a hospital during treatment. At the same time, all the children were rescued safely in a high-stakes operation conducted by the Mumbai Police. The incident, which lasted approximately two hours, sent shockwaves through the upscale Powai neighborhood and prompted a massive joint operation involving police commandos and the fire brigade.
The ordeal began around 1:45 PM when the Powai Police Station received a distress call reporting that a man had taken several children hostage inside the studio located in the Mahavir Classik building near the L&T complex. Police teams immediately rushed to the scene and cordoned off the area as negotiations began with Arya, who had locked the children inside and was making threatening demands.
Children Lured for Fake Auditions
The 17 children, aged between 8 to 14 years, had been called to RA Studios for what they believed was an audition for a web series. Arya, who worked as an employee at the studio and also ran a YouTube channel, had been conducting these fake auditions for four to five days, drawing families to the premises under pretenses. Once inside, he locked the children in a room and refused to let them leave, triggering panic among parents and neighbors.
Mumbai: YouTuber Rohit Arya held 20 kids hostage at acting studio audition, threatened cylinder blast. Police entered via bathroom; all rescued. Accused in custody.
— Ghar Ke Kalesh (@gharkekalesh) October 30, 2025
pic.twitter.com/mSnGEircGu
Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Satyanarayan Chaudhary confirmed that approximately 20 people were inside the studio when Arya held them captive, including the 17 children and a few adults. Senior Inspector Jeevan Sonawane of Powai Police stated, “All the children are safe and have been handed over to their guardians”.
Threatening Video and Demands
Before and during the hostage situation, Arya released a chilling video in which he outlined his intentions and warned authorities against making any “wrong moves”. In the footage, which was streamed online, he stated: “I am Rohit Arya. Instead of dying by suicide, I have made a plan and am holding some children hostage here. I want simple conversations, and that’s why I’ve taken these children hostage”.
Arya repeatedly warned that “the slightest wrong move from you will trigger me to set this whole place on fire and die in it,” making clear the grave danger the children faced. He insisted his demands were “simple demands, moral demands, ethical demands, and a few questions,” and clarified that he was “not a terrorist” and did not want money. Instead, he said he wanted to have conversations with certain individuals and to “counter-question” them about unresolved grievances.
Grievances Against the Education Department
According to Mumbai Police, Arya’s primary demand was to speak with former Maharashtra Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar regarding what he claimed were unpaid dues from a government project. He had alleged that the education department owed him payment for a sanitation campaign called the PLC Sanitation Monitor Project, which was launched under the Chief Minister’s “My School, Beautiful School” campaign.
Arya claimed this project was part of his ‘Let’s Change’ campaign begun in 2013, which aimed to make schoolchildren “ambassadors of cleanliness”. Originally from Pune, he had reportedly secured a tender for this school project during Kesarkar’s tenure as education minister and had staged multiple protests outside the minister’s residence over the alleged non-payment. Police now consider these grievances as part of the motive thread they are investigating.
Police Forced Entry Through the Bathroom
When negotiations failed and Arya’s threats escalated, the Mumbai Police decided to conduct a forced entry to rescue the children. A specialized team of eight commandos executed the operation in just 35 minutes, entering through the bathroom after the fire brigade used hydraulic tools to cut open the grills. Station Officer Abhijit Sonawane of the Mumbai Fire Brigade told reporters, “We cut open the grills with our hydraulic tools and made access for police. They entered inside and now all are rescued”.
DCP Datta Kishan Nalawade explained, “Around 1:45 pm, the police got information about this incident, after which different police teams reached here and rescued the children trapped inside. A total of 17 children were trapped inside and have been safely taken out”. The swift action prevented what could have been a tragic outcome, as Arya had threatened to set the studio on fire.
Fatal Exchange of Gunfire
During the rescue operation, Arya opened fire on the police team using an air gun, prompting officers to return fire. A senior police officer stated, “Looking at the situation, the police fired one bullet, which hit Arya, and he suffered an injury”. According to official accounts, police returned only one round of fire in response to Arya’s attack, which struck him and caused critical injuries.
Arya was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital with gunshot wounds, but doctors were unable to save him and pronounced him dead during treatment. Police have since recovered the air gun and several chemical containers from the scene, which investigators believe he used to threaten officers and potentially planned to use to set the studio on fire, as he had warned.
Investigation into Mental State and Accomplices
Mumbai Police initially described Arya as appearing mentally unstable based on his behavior and demands. Authorities had planned to question him extensively to determine his motive and mental state, but his death has complicated the investigation, leaving investigators with fewer answers and more questions. Police are now conducting a thorough investigation into how Arya obtained the air gun and chemical substances, and whether any other individuals were involved in planning or executing the hostage situation.
A senior police officer stated that a detailed report is being prepared covering all aspects of the incident, including Arya’s background, his grievances with the education department, and the circumstances leading up to the hostage crisis. Investigators are also examining his YouTube channel and social media presence for additional clues about his state of mind and potential accomplices.
All Children Rescued Safely
Despite the traumatic ordeal, all 17 children were rescued without physical injuries and were immediately reunited with their anxious guardians who had gathered outside the studio. Joint Commissioner Satyanarayan Chaudhary confirmed, “All 17 children are safely rescued from the studio, and further investigation is going on”. The successful rescue operation, executed under extreme pressure and time constraints, has been praised for preventing what could have been a catastrophic outcome given Arya’s threats to harm the children and set the studio ablaze.
Police officials are now conducting counseling sessions for the rescued children and their families to help them cope with the psychological trauma of the incident. The incident has raised serious questions about security protocols at audition venues and the need for better vetting of individuals conducting such activities, especially those involving children.
