What drove Mumbai man to kidnap 17 children
What's the story
Rohit Arya, a filmmaker and activist, was shot dead by Mumbai police after he took 17 children hostage on Thursday. He held the children hostage as he was reportedly frustrated with the Maharashtra government for allegedly denying him credit for a school development project titled "Majhi Shala, Sundar Shala." In his last video, he claimed he had no intention of harming the children. Rather, he wanted to speak to certain people to recover the ₹2 crore allegedly owed to him.
Background
Arya's history with the government
Originally from Pune, Arya had previously won a tender for a school project under the education department when Deepak Kesarkar was the education minister. He later alleged that he was never paid for his work. His growing frustration over the issue led him to stage multiple protests outside Kesarkar's residence while the minister was in office.
Allegations
Claims of credit theft by Maharashtra government
Arya also claimed credit for launching the Swacchta Monitor concept in Maharashtra in 2023, another initiative for which he said he was denied recognition and payment. He alleged that the Maharashtra government implemented his original concept, "Majhi Shala, Sundar Shala," without giving him due credit or payment. According to Rohit, the entire initiative was based on his idea inspired by his film "Let's Change," a concept he had designed and developed years earlier.
Claim
What he said
He alleged that the government used both his idea and the film rights he had purchased. "They used me to complete the work, but after that, they tried to suppress me," he said in an old statement. He claimed that officials took his concept, incorporated it as part of the state's education program beginning in 2022, and then rejected his contribution totally. "They didn't give me credit or money; they simply disowned my whole existence," Rohit had stated.
Activism
Promises made, but no action taken
In his efforts to seek justice and recognition, Rohit staged multiple protests and even undertook a month-long hunger strike. According to reports, then Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar had assured him that his demands would be met. However, progress stalled after the then Joint Secretary of Education, Tushar Mahajan, reportedly told him that "he did some mistakes" and that no action would be taken until certain inquiries were completed.
Accusations
Arya had warned of dire consequences earlier
Rohit had also previously expressed deep frustration over the issue, naming several officials in his statements. "If I commit suicide, then Deepak Kesarkar, his personal secretary Mangesh Shinde, then education commissioner Suraj Mandhare, Tushar Mahajan, and Sameer Sawant will be responsible for it," he had warned in an earlier quote. He further alleged that his concept was initially appreciated by Kesarkar, who even approved a budget of ₹2 crore for the "Majhi Shala, Sundar Shala" project.
Official response
Government denies allegations, claims Arya exaggerated expenses
The Maharashtra government, however, has stated that the expenditure details presented by Arya were "vague and exaggerated," adding that his proposed projects lacked technical clarity and proper documentation. According to official documents, Arya's firm, Apsara Media Entertainment Network, had launched the Swachhta Monitor initiative under the "Let's Change" project. The state later cleared a follow-up proposal on June 30, 2023, disbursed ₹9.9 lakh for Phase 1 of the campaign.
Government
Government claims
In 2023-24, the Education Department allocated ₹2 crore under the Mukhyamantri Majhi Shala, Sundar Shala (My School, Beautiful School) campaign to conduct the second phase of Swachhta Monitor. However, officials stated that the cost estimates and project details given by Arya were "unclear and inflated." "No clear details were provided about assessment metrics, operational guidelines, or compliance with minimum standards," the government said. As such, the Swachhta Monitor Phase 2 initiative was never implemented due to "technical irregularities."