Mumbai Police’s Bold Rescue in Powai Studio Drama as Officers Break In Through Bathroom and Glass Wall to Save 17 Kids

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Mumbai witnessed a shocking event on Thursday when a man trapped 17 children inside a studio in Powai. The tense situation lasted for three and a half hours and ended only after the police shot the man and safely rescued the children.

The accused, Rohit Arya, is from Pune. He had called the children for an acting audition at his studio and rented the place just four days earlier. The children, aged between 12 and 15, came with their parents in the morning. 

Hours passed, and none of the kids came out. Around 1:45 p.m., people in a nearby building saw children crying and waving for help through the glass windows. They quickly called the police.

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Tense Hostage Situation


Arya had locked the doors from inside and even fixed alarm sensors to stop anyone from breaking in. He had an airgun and an inflammable spray to scare the children. In a video shared during the standoff, Arya claimed that he did not want to harm anyone but wanted to talk to officials to recover Rs. 2 crore, which he said the education department owed him.

Mumbai Police reached the spot around 2 p.m. and tried to talk him down. Meanwhile, the Fire Brigade joined in to plan a rescue. Two police teams acted at the same time, one entered the building through a bathroom, while another cut through the glass wall. Some children managed to move toward a duct pipe area to stay safe during the chaos.

Police Action and Rescue


By 5:15 p.m., the situation turned critical. Arya tried to move toward the officers, and Assistant Sub-Inspector Amol Waghmare fired one shot that hit him in the chest. He was taken to the hospital but was declared dead soon after. All 17 children and two assistants were safely rescued without any injuries.

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Arya was a short filmmaker who once worked on cleanliness campaigns for Maharashtra schools. He had claimed that the education department never paid him. Officials, however, said he never submitted proper bills and kept changing his demands.

The city has been left shaken by the incident. Police officials praised their team for their quick and brave action that saved every child’s life. The event has sparked a new discussion about children’s safety at studios and public places.