Mumbai Hostage Case: Victim Reveals How Rohit Arya Used Fake ‘Kidnapping Auditions’ To Execute Plan

Last Updated:October 31, 2025, 13:23 IST

According to the victim, Rohit Arya was carrying some weapons and firecrackers, and similar activities were happening in the hall and adjoining rooms at the time.

Rohit Arya was shot by police after he took 17 children hostage in Mumbai.

A victim of the Mumbai kidnapping case has revealed that the accused Rohit Arya had been conducting “kidnapping scene auditions" with children for the past few days. The woman also stated that Arya told everyone that it was part of an audition involving a kidnapping act.

A few days back, he had reportedly covered the CCTV cameras in the hall, saying it was for the shoot. Everyone assumed that the same kind of kidnapping scene audition was taking place again that day, the victim revealed.

However, things took a terrifying turn when the children suddenly started crying, and some people rushed to the spot. When questioned, Rohit told them that it was just an audition and there was “nothing to worry about."

The woman added that he was carrying some weapons and firecrackers, and similar activities were happening in the hall and adjoining rooms at the time.

Arya, who was shot by the police during the rescue operation and succumbed to his injuries, was a school teacher. On Thursday, he kidnapped 19 people, including 17 children, and held them as hostages in Mumbai’s Powai.

He had released a video after holding 19 people hostage, 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.

In order to execute his plan, Arya set up a fake web series audition and met over 100 students in the last four days. On Thursday, 17 students came for the audition at Arya’s studio in the morning. When students did not return, their parents approached the police.

He let 83 students go and kept 17 as hostages with two other people. He kept them on the ground floor and first floor of the studio in Powai.

All the hostages were safely evacuated by the police on the same day.

Anushka Vats

Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can follow her...Read More

Anushka Vats is a Sub-Editor at News18.com with a passion for storytelling and a curiosity that extends beyond the newsroom. She covers both national and international news. For more stories, you can follow her...

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