Mumbai: Hostage-taker shot dead by police in studio standoff

India Nov 01, 2025

A tense hostage situation in Mumbai's Powai area ended when police shot Rohit Arya, who had held 17 children captive inside a studio.
Even after video call negotiations with parents, he refused to back down.

To avoid tipping off Arya, plainclothes officers quietly entered

To avoid tipping off Arya—who was monitoring the studio with CCTV—plainclothes officers quietly entered through a bathroom window.
Inside, officer Amol Waghmare had to act fast when Arya confronted them with an airgun, leading to the fatal shooting.
As per protocol, a magisterial inquiry is underway and statements are being collected to piece together exactly what happened.