Mumbai: It was tea vendor Umesh Tiwari, who runs a stall outside Mahavir Classic Building for the past six years, who first alerted the Mumbai Police about children being held hostage inside the building. Tiwari immediately called the police control room (100) to report the incident. However, even four days after the shocking Powai hostage case, his statement has not yet been recorded by the police.
Regular Customer Turned Accused
Tiwari told The Free Press Journal that the accused, Rohit Arya, was a regular customer at his stall.
“He used to drink tea with egg bhurji every day and had already fixed the rate with me,” said Tiwari. Arya had even taken Tiwari’s son’s audition for a project, later assuring him that he would be called again in December for an outdoor shoot.
Vendor Heard Children Crying
According to Tiwari, Arya owed him ₹6,000, which he had promised to repay before leaving. On Thursday, when the hostage incident took place, Tiwari heard children crying and screaming from the upper floors of the building. Alarmed, he asked his acquaintance, Kalyani Bansode, to accompany him to check what was happening.
When they reached the spot, they found the door locked from inside. Since the building was under renovation and had bamboo scaffolding, the two tried to climb up using it to take a look.
Accused Pointed Gun, Vendor Called Police
As soon as Arya saw them, he reportedly pointed a gun at them and threatened them not to come closer. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Tiwari immediately dialed 100 to alert the police.
A nearby patrol team rushed to the location, leading to a rescue operation and the shocking discovery that children were being held captive.
Witness Still Awaiting Police Statement
Tiwari also recalled that just a few days before the incident, Arya had come downstairs to negotiate the price of tea ₹4 for a small cup and ₹8 for a large one.
Despite being the first to alert authorities, Tiwari’s statement has not been officially recorded, raising questions about the handling of a key witness in this ongoing investigation.
