• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

Mumbai Children Hostage: A man, believed to be mentally unstable, held over 20 children hostage during an audition at a studio in Mumbai's Powai on Thursday. Soon after, locals noticed children giving signals from the windows of the studio, and they informed the police. Acting swiftly, the Mumbai Police rescued all the children safely and detained the accused. The dramatic situation unfolded at RA Studio near the L&T building for over an hour.

What Was the Accused's Demand?

"A man, identified as Rohit Arya, has held a few children hostage in Powai area of Mumbai. He has 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. The man seems to be mentally unstable and the Police are trying to handle the matter," said the Mumbai Police.

"Arya wanted to speak to a few people and ask them questions, and he did not want money. If he was not allowed to do so, he will set fire to the studio, he threatened," the official stated.

"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," he was heard saying in the video.

"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. I seek a simple conversation, and for that I took these kids hostage. The slightest wrong move from your end will trigger me to set this place on fire and die. The children will be unnecessarily traumatised. I should not be held at fault for those, but those who unnecessarily trigger a normal person who wants a simple conversation," he added.

All children have been safely rescued from the spot, said police, adding that the man has been detained. The Police are talking to him and trying to find out why he took such a step and if is actually mentally unstable, they stated.

"All the children are safe," said joint commissioner of police Satyanarayan. The man, identified as Rohit Arya, who appeared to be mentally unstable, was taken into custody, said another official.

The children, boys and girls around 15 years old, had been called for an 'audition, as per the preliminary information, he added.

(With PTI inputs)

Also In News