Excerpt from the 7-minute video released by Aarya in Mumbai:”I don’t want to commit suicide. I will force the government to answer. My demands are simple – just a conversation.”
SNPNEWS.IN News (Gurmail Kamboj): A shocking incident came to light on 30 October in Mumbai’s Powai area, where a man named Rohit Aarya took 17 children (aged 10–15 years) and 2 specially-abled individuals hostage around 3 PM inside his R.A. Studio located in the Mahavir Classic Building Complex. The children had come for auditions for a web series.
According to reports, he had lured the children under the pretext of shooting a kidnapping scene for a web series and then locked the doors. He released a video in which he introduced himself as Rohit Aarya, stating that instead of suicide, he was taking this step. He said he did not want money – he only wanted to talk to certain people. He also threatened that if anyone tried to stop him, he would set the studio on fire or harm the children.
The police tried to reason with Aarya for 2 hours, after which they launched an operation. Security personnel entered the studio through the bathroom window. Rohit fired an air gun, prompting the police to retaliate. He was shot in the chest, taken to the hospital in critical condition, and later died. All the children and other hostages were rescued safely. One person was injured during the incident.
Excerpts from the video released by Rohit during the incident:
“Instead of suicide, I have taken the children hostage.”
“I made a plan and captured some children. My demands are not excessive. They are very simple, moral, and ethical. I have some questions and I want to talk to some people. I want to ask questions and get answers.”
“I don’t want anything else. I am not a terrorist, nor am I demanding money. I am not unethical at all. I just want a simple, straightforward conversation. That’s why I have taken these children hostage.”
Rohit further said: “If your small mistake provokes me, I will burn this place down. I don’t know if I will survive or not, but the children will definitely be harmed. They will be traumatized. If anything beyond this happens, don’t blame me.”
“Don’t hold me responsible for all this. Hold those accountable who unnecessarily provoked me. An ordinary man just wants to speak. Listen to me once, and after I say what I want to say, I will come out on my own.”
“Many attempts have been made. I have met many people several times. Since May 1, I have been on a simple hunger strike. Even today, nothing has changed. From today, I have started an intense hunger strike. I will not drink water either. It would be better if the seriousness of this situation is understood.”
Read More here: Amargarh-: Police are continuously searching for the culprits in the case of kidnapping of a 7-year-old child,
Rohit Aarya: A Social Worker / Kidnapper?
Rohit was born in Nagpur, Mumbai, and resided in Powai (near Hiranandani Gardens). He was the son of former government school teacher parents and was graduate-level educated from Nagpur. His wife is a social worker and filmmaker.
Rohit came into the spotlight in 2013 through his “Let’s Change – Swachhta Monitor Project”, which aimed to appoint 2–3 children per class as “cleanliness ambassadors” in schools to monitor hygiene. The project also included teacher training, posters, badges, and certificates to strengthen the campaign. He even made a short film on the subject.
In 2018–2019, the Maharashtra government launched a similar idea as the “Majhi Shala, Sundar Shala” scheme. Following this, Rohit claimed that his idea was stolen and he was given no credit.
From 2021, Rohit wrote several letters to the Education Department and Minister, seeking meetings over the project dispute. Later, he was associated with the Education Department as a volunteer, and Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar issued ₹7 lakh + ₹8 lakh cheques for a pilot project. Rohit claimed that the administration had promised a ₹2 crore full project (for 1000 schools), which was never fulfilled. He saw this as betrayal and believed the government had cheated him.
After his death, it is being claimed that a frustrated and angry social worker, due to lack of hearing, ultimately took this extreme step. His idea was right, but the fight with the system mentally broke him. He took the final step not to scare the children, but to wake up the government – but it turned out terribly wrong.