A man accused of holding around 20 children hostage inside an acting studio in Mumbai’s Powai area was shot dead by police during a rescue operation on Thursday, officials said. All the children were safely rescued.
The incident unfolded at RA Studio near the L&T building, where the children had reportedly been called for an audition.
According to police, the accused, identified as Rohit Arya, described as mentally unstable, locked the children inside and demanded to speak with former Maharashtra education minister Deepak Kesarkar over grievances related to the department.
Senior Inspector Jeevan Sonawane said the man appeared to be armed with what “looked like a gun.”
Mumbai Fire Brigade officials said they received an alert around 3 pm, prompting an immediate joint response by police and emergency services.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Satyanarayan confirmed that police fired at the suspect during the operation to ensure the children’s safety.
The children were released unharmed, and further investigation is underway.
