Rohit Aarrya, a social entrepreneur known for directing awareness videos with children on government campaigns like Swachh Bharat, was the man who held 17 children and two others hostage at a recording studio in Mumbai, TOI reported.
Aarrya owned Apsara Media and described himself as a project management consultant passionate about social causes. His social media profiles showed that he was an alumnus of Symbiosis International University, Pune, and had completed an executive MBA from ISB, Mumbai. He had collaborated with actors such as Prem Chopra and claimed veteran actor Ramesh Deo as his mentor. Since 2017, he had worked extensively to spread awareness about cleanliness, saying he was inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for public hygiene.
Police told TOI that Aarrya had been conducting auditions at RA Studio in Powai for five days for a web series he was planning. On Thursday, during the final casting call, he held the children — who had come from Navi Mumbai, Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli and other parts of Maharashtra — hostage. Officials said they tried to negotiate with him for nearly two hours, but he fired first, prompting police to retaliate.
City police commissioner Deven Bharti told TOI, “Regardless of his demands, we couldn’t let him play with people’s lives. He fired first at police. Our team fired back in self-defence. There was no other option.”
Aarrya had previously drawn attention for a 2024 hunger strike against former school education minister Deepak Kesarkar of Shiv Sena over alleged unpaid dues of Rs 2 crore for a school cleanliness project. Kesarkar told TOI that he had extended financial help to Aarrya “out of sympathy,” but the issue should have been taken up through official channels.
Senior inspector Sandeep Deshmane of Kothrud police said Aarrya had earlier lived in Pune before moving to Chembur with his wife. His parents, who lived in Kothrud, had vacated their flat a week before the incident.
(With inputs from TOI)
Aarrya owned Apsara Media and described himself as a project management consultant passionate about social causes. His social media profiles showed that he was an alumnus of Symbiosis International University, Pune, and had completed an executive MBA from ISB, Mumbai. He had collaborated with actors such as Prem Chopra and claimed veteran actor Ramesh Deo as his mentor. Since 2017, he had worked extensively to spread awareness about cleanliness, saying he was inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for public hygiene.
Police told TOI that Aarrya had been conducting auditions at RA Studio in Powai for five days for a web series he was planning. On Thursday, during the final casting call, he held the children — who had come from Navi Mumbai, Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli and other parts of Maharashtra — hostage. Officials said they tried to negotiate with him for nearly two hours, but he fired first, prompting police to retaliate.
City police commissioner Deven Bharti told TOI, “Regardless of his demands, we couldn’t let him play with people’s lives. He fired first at police. Our team fired back in self-defence. There was no other option.”
Aarrya had previously drawn attention for a 2024 hunger strike against former school education minister Deepak Kesarkar of Shiv Sena over alleged unpaid dues of Rs 2 crore for a school cleanliness project. Kesarkar told TOI that he had extended financial help to Aarrya “out of sympathy,” but the issue should have been taken up through official channels.
Senior inspector Sandeep Deshmane of Kothrud police said Aarrya had earlier lived in Pune before moving to Chembur with his wife. His parents, who lived in Kothrud, had vacated their flat a week before the incident.
(With inputs from TOI)
You may also like
Juvenile's conviction is not a bar to govt service, rules Allahabad HC; issues order to reinstate govt teacher
Bankipur constituency: Nitin Nabin aims for fourth consecutive term, RJD hopes to breach BJP bastion
Kashi has transformed completely under leadership of PM Modi and UP CM Yogi: VP Radhakrishnan
Tennis news: Djokovic learns fate in new home as Sabalenka addresses behaviour
Accused delaying trial cannot get benefit of bail: Supreme Court
