Mumbai: The shocking hostage incident at RA Studios in Powai on Thursday ended with all victims rescued and the accused in custody, but at the centre of the case are the demands and grievances claimed by the suspect, who says his actions were driven by unanswered questions rather than money.
Accused Rohit Arya has been detained and all the hostages, 17 children and 2 adults have been safely rescued. Parents and local residents expressed relief after the safe release, but officials say a full legal and psychological assessment of the accused and the rescued children will follow as the investigation continues.
The accused has been identified as Rohit Arya, a professor from Nagpur who currently resides in Chembur. Multiple reports claim that Arya had carried out a cleanliness survey in Nagpur at his own expense, reportedly costing him around 60 to 70 lakh rupees, after being promised compensation of 1 crore rupees that he claims was never paid by Former Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar. Arya is said to have staged multiple protests in Nagpur, including at Azad Maidan and outside the minister’s residence, seeking the promised payout.
According to Mumbai Police, Arya spent the past three days calling children to RA Studios under the pretext of auditions for a web series. At about 1:45 pm on Thursday, police received a call reporting that children had been held hostage inside. Officers cordoned off the area and engaged in negotiations while teams worked to reach the trapped people.
Police said the accused "All the kids were called in for an audition of a webseries. The children were then kept hostage inside the building by closing the hall and gates. On one side Mumbai Police's officers were negotiating with Arya while on the other hand Mumbai Police were trying to get to the trapped citizens. 17 children and two adults, among whom one was a senior citizen, were safely rescued."
Confession Video Goes Viral
In a video circulated online he said, “I am Rohit Arya. Instead of committing suicide, I have made a plan and have kept some kids here. I don't have many demands. I have very simple demands."
He also stated, "I have very moral demands and very ethical demands. And I have some questions. I have to talk to some people. I have to ask them questions. If I have a counter-question on their answer, then I have to ask a counter-question. But I want this answer. I don't want anything else. "
In the viral confession video, he stated, "Neither am I a terrorist, nor do I have a great demand for money. There is no demand for money. So, it is not immoral at all. I have to have simple conversations. And for that, I have taken these kids as a hostage."
Confessing about his plans, accused Arya stated, "I have taken them as a hostage according to a plan. Let's change format. I was really going to do it. I am going to do it. If I am alive, I will do it. If I die, someone else will do it. But it will definitely happen. It will happen with these kids only if they are not harmed. Because the slightest wrong move from your end will trigger me.”
As of now accused Rohit Arya has been detained and all the accused, 17 children and 2 adults have been safely rescued. Parents and local residents expressed relief after the safe release, but officials say a full legal and psychological assessment of the accused and the rescued children will follow as the investigation continues.
Officials are now verifying Arya’s claims about the unpaid compensation and the Nagpur cleanliness survey expenses, while also examining whether others were involved. Police have appealed to the public and media to avoid sharing unverified footage that could hamper the probe.
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