Mumbai, October 30: Rohit Arya, the man who took at least 20 children hostage at RA Studio in Mumbai's Powai, was killed in a police standoff on Thursday, October 30. The police reportedly entered through the bathroom window and rescued all the children. All kids were then handed over to their parents.

According to the reports, the group of boys and girls, all around 15 years of age, had been invited to the studio for an "audition" but were held hostage by Arya. The reports further said that the accused then allegedly locked the children inside the studio and began live-streaming a video on social media.  Rohit Arya Dies: Self-Proclaimed Filmmaker Killed in Police Standoff After Holding 19 Hostages, Including 17 Children, in Mumbai’s Powai.

Mumbai Hostage Situation: Man Holds At Least 20 Children Hostage, Arrested

Who Was Rohit Arya?

Rohit Arya, the accused who held at least 20 children inside a studio in Mumbai, was killed after a brief operation. Mumbai Police said Arya seemed to be “mentally stable". Several reports claimed Arya was a school teacher in Nagpur. According to the police, Arya had released a video purportedly saying that he wants to speak with a few people, and if he is not allowed to do it, he will set everything on fire and harm himself and the children. Powai: 20 Children Rescued After Mentally Unstable Man Rohit Arya Holds Them Hostage at RA Studio in Mumbai, Demands ‘Moral’ Answers From Deepak Kesarkar (Videos).

What Were Rohit Arya's Demands?

Rohit Arya, in the video, claimed he did not have many demands, but only a few simple ones. Jeevan Sonawane, Senior Police Inspector of Powai police station, said that Arya’s motive appeared to be linked to a grievance with the state’s education department. “The person behind the hostage wanted to speak to former Maharashtra education minister Deepak Kesarkar regarding some issues he had with the department,” Inspector Sonawane told Hindustan Times. Arya insisted that he did not want money but threatened to set fire to the studio if he was not allowed to speak to those he wanted to reach.

Rohit Arya Reveals His Demands

“I am Rohit Arya and instead of dying by suicide, I have made a plan and I am holding some children hostage here. I don’t have many demands; I have very simple demands, moral demands, ethical demands, and a few questions. I want to talk to some people, ask them questions. But I want these answers. I don’t want anything else. I’m not a terrorist, nor do I demand a lot of money, and I certainly don’t want anything immoral," Arya said in the video.

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