Police in Mumbai have rescued 17 children and two adults after a man claiming to have taken them hostage at an acting school was killed during a standoff.
The incident occurred at a studio in the busy Powai neighbourhood, where the children had gathered for an audition. According to officials, police first attempted to negotiate with the suspect, identified as Rohit Arya, but he refused to cooperate.
“As he was adamant, we used force to enter the building,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police Datta Nalawade, adding that officers gained access through a bathroom window. Inside, they discovered an airgun and an unspecified chemical.
Arya was shot during the rescue operation and later pronounced dead at the hospital. All hostages were safely evacuated.
The tense standoff sparked chaos as panicked parents and residents gathered outside the building. Videos circulating on Indian news channels show Arya claiming to have taken the children hostage because he wanted to “ask questions” to unnamed individuals. In the footage, he warns that “the slightest wrong move will trigger me” and threatens to set the studio on fire.
Police are now conducting a full search of the premises as investigations continue into the motive behind the bizarre hostage incident.
