Mumbai Hostage Horror: Disgruntled Studio Worker Holds 19 Captive, Killed in Intense Police Encounter – All Rescued Safely

In a chilling video circulated on social media platforms, Arya identified himself and made his intentions clear: “I am Rohit Arya. Instead of committing suicide, I made this plan and held some children hostage.

By Grok Mumbai Desk | October 30, 2025

Mumbai – A midday audition call turned into a nightmare in Mumbai’s bustling Powai neighborhood when a 28-year-old studio employee, Rohit Arya, barricaded himself inside RA Studios with 19 hostages – including 17 terrified children aged 10 to 15 – threatening arson and violence unless his grievances were heard. What began as a routine acting workshop spiraled into a two-hour standoff, ending dramatically with Arya’s death in a police encounter and the unharmed rescue of all captives, thanks to swift action by Mumbai Police’s elite units.

The ordeal unfolded around 1:45 PM at the RA Studio in the Mahavir Classic building near the L&T Gate, a popular spot for aspiring child actors in the city’s thriving entertainment hub. Arya, a Pune native and part-time YouTuber who had been working at the studio, allegedly lured over 100 children via social media ads promising auditions for a high-profile web series. Eyewitnesses and police reports indicate he initially allowed about 80 participants to leave, but then locked the doors on the remaining group – 17 minors, one senior citizen, and one other adult – trapping them in a confined space on the first floor.

In a chilling video circulated on social media platforms, Arya identified himself and made his intentions clear: “I am Rohit Arya. Instead of committing suicide, I made this plan and held some children hostage. My demands are few and very simple. I am not a terrorist, nor am I demanding money. I have taken the children only for the sake of dialogue.” He demanded to speak with “certain people” – later revealed to be studio owners and officials – about unpaid dues for government-related work he claimed to have handled. Arya warned that any provocation would lead him to douse the premises in chemicals and set it ablaze, endangering everyone inside. The clip, showing him pacing erratically with what appeared to be an airgun in hand while children huddled in fear, quickly went viral, amplifying panic among parents gathered outside.

The first distress call reached Powai Police Station at approximately 2:00 PM, triggering an immediate multi-agency response. Senior officers, including DCP (Zone VIII) Additional Solanki and Powai Senior Police Inspector Jeevan Sonawane, cordoned off the area, evacuating nearby offices and deploying the Quick Response Team (QRT), crime branch units, and a fire brigade standby for potential chemical hazards. Negotiators attempted dialogue for over an hour, but Arya remained intransigent, reportedly splashing chemicals as a threat and refusing to release the hostages. Parents, some in hysterics, were kept at bay behind barricades, with one mother telling reporters, “My daughter called me whispering that a man had locked them in and was screaming. I thought we’d lost her forever.”

By 3:45 PM, with the situation escalating, commandos breached the studio using tactical mirrors and drone reconnaissance to assess internal movements. As they entered through a side door, Arya allegedly fired his airgun and lunged aggressively, prompting officers to respond with controlled shots in self-defense. He sustained a bullet wound to the chest and was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition, where he was declared dead on arrival around 4:30 PM. “It was a challenging operation with minors at extreme risk,” DCP Solanki stated in a post-op briefing. “Our priority was zero casualties among the innocents – and we achieved that through precision and restraint.”

All 19 hostages emerged unscathed, reunited with their families in scenes of tearful relief. Recovered from the scene were an airgun, bottles of unidentified chemicals, and fake audition scripts, pointing to a premeditated setup. Preliminary investigations suggest Arya’s actions stemmed from mounting personal frustrations: He had been employed at RA Studios for several months but harbored resentment over delayed payments for freelance tasks, including what he described as “government liaison work.” Colleagues described him as “stressed and withdrawn” in recent weeks, with unconfirmed reports of underlying mental health issues. Powai police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for kidnapping, criminal intimidation, and attempted murder, while a deeper probe into his psychological state and any accomplices is underway. Arya’s family in Pune expressed shock, with a relative noting, “He was never violent; this must have been a breaking point.”

The incident has cast a stark light on vulnerabilities in Mumbai’s unregulated casting ecosystem, where fake auditions have long preyed on ambitious families. Industry insiders point to a surge in such scams post-pandemic, with children from middle-class backgrounds often targeted via unverified online postings. “This is a wake-up call,” said casting director Pooja Sawant, who arrived at the scene to counsel shaken parents. “Parents send kids dreaming of Bollywood, but without safeguards, it’s a minefield.” Officials have vowed a crackdown: The Maharashtra Film Chamber of Commerce announced immediate guidelines for verified auditions, including mandatory parental presence and background checks on organizers. Child rights activists, including those from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), have demanded a statewide audit of acting workshops.

As the sun set over Powai’s high-rises, the once-vibrant studio stood sealed for forensics, a somber reminder of a day that teetered on tragedy. Mumbai Police’s heroism – turning potential horror into a story of survival – drew widespread praise, with Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde lauding the force on social media: “Our brave officers protected the innocent against all odds.” Yet, beneath the relief lingers unease: In a city of dreams, how many more illusions will shatter before real protections take hold? For the rescued children, counseling sessions begin tomorrow – a small step toward healing from an audition that became an ambush.