Mumbai: In a dramatic incident the police shot dead a man who had held 17 children and two adults hostage at RA Studio, Powai, on Thursday afternoon. The children with an average age of 15 had come to the studio apparently for an audition organised by Rohit Arya (50), who claimed to be a director of net series films, deputy commissioner of police Datta Nalawade said.
Incident Resembles Scene From Yami Gautam’s ‘A Thursday’
In a scene straight out of Yami Gautam's film "A Thursday", in which she plays the role of a school teacher who holds many children hostage to speak to the Prime Minister and others, Arya, a native of Nagpur, put out a video in which he threatened to harm the children instead of ending his own life and set the studio on fire if he was not allowed to speak to certain persons.
Director’s Audition Turns Into Hostage Situation
According to reports, he had produced a film for the education department at the behest of the then minister for education Deepak Kesarkar, but was not paid. He wanted to speak to Kesarkar, Nalawade said. Kesarkar was unavailable for comment. This probably the first such incident to take place in Mumbai.
According to reports, Arya has been conducting auditions at the ground floor studio owned by the Agnihotris for the past four days. On Thursday about 80 children gathered at the studio in response to ads put out by Arya, who asked most of them to leave, but asked 17 children to stay back in the studio in Mahavir Classik building, Saki Vihar Road, Powai.
Later he bolted the premises from within and warned the children of dire consequences if they raised an alarm, the police said. He then released a brief video in which he said he wanted to speak to certain persons. He warned that the hostages would be harmed if his demand was not met or the authorities tried to foil his plan. He held a chemical spray can in his hand, Nalawade stated.
Arya, a resident of Chembur, clarified that he did not want any money. He, however, initially did not say whom he wanted to speak to. Towards the end he mentioned the name of Kesarkar. He said the video to the parents who immediately alerted the police, senior inspector of Powai police Jeevan Sonavane said.
Over 17 children ‘held hostage’ in Mumbai’s RA studio at Powai was rescued; accused shot dead during rescue operation | Photo Credits: Vijay Gohil
Police Launch Swift Rescue Operation
The police got the alert around 1.30 ap.m. under the leadership of joint commissioner (law & order) Satyanarayan Choudhary responded swiftly to the crisis by sending the quick response team, fire brigade and other personnel. Nalawade said for almost two hours, the police were in communication with Arya in a bid to let him free the hostages, but in vain.
The building was cordoned off and fire brigade officer Abhijit Sonavane asked his team to cut open the grill of a toilet in the rear to let armed policemen enter the studio. Caught by surprise, Arya apparently brandished a gun (which later turned out to be an air gun) at the cops who opened fire in self-defence. A bullet fired from point blank range hit Arya on his chest.
Hostage-Taker Killed; All Children Rescued Safely
The profusely-bleeding accused was rushed to Cooper hospital at Irla where doctors declared dead before arrival. Meanwhile, anxious parents rushed to the studio only to witness their children in panic behind the glass windows.
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One of them Dinesh Goswami said "We were extremely worried for our children. But I must say to the credit of the police that they did an excellent job and rescued all the children." Two of the adult hostages, a man and woman in their sixties, received injuries in the melee.
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