Mumbai Police Officer Shoots Armed Kidnapper Holding Children Hostage in Powai Studio

Mumbai: When assistant police inspector Amol Waghmare was informed by Powai senior inspector Jitendra Sonawane Thursday afternoon that a hostage crisis was brewing in a Powai studio, he had no idea that minutes later he would be confronting an armed kidnapper and would have to pull the trigger at him.Waghmare, who is the complainant in the hostage crisis, said in the FIR, "I reached the RA Studio complex around 2pm when chaos broke out. A few parents rushed in, shouting their children were not answering calls. Someone showed me a video circulating on WhatsApp — a man named Rohit Arryya claiming he had taken several children hostage inside the studio. He was threatening to burn the place down if anyone tried to intervene.Within minutes, police teams led by API Sohail Subedar and senior PI Sonawane reached the spot. The atmosphere was tense — parents were crying, and we could smell petrol from outside the studio. The accused doused the premises with a petrol and rubber solution, threatening to set it ablaze if his demands were not met. There were also batteries nearby. During the operation, police gained access through a duct and reached the first-floor bathroom where the children were confined."TOI has a copy of the FIR.The children were kept hostage on the first floor. Waghmare along with sub-inspectors Rakesh Nalawade, Bade and Shinde entered through the bathroom window with the help of fire brigade personnel. "We removed the iron grille leading to the first floor and then with the help of a ladder provided by the fire brigade entered the studio. We heard children crying in the bathroom. ThenRohit Aarryaentered and, leaving the children alone, at a distance of about two to three feet, he used a pepper spray, and then pointed to the pistol tucked in his waist at the child's side for a moment, and then pointed it towards me and my team, and he was about to fire.To save myself, our team and children from being harmed, I fired a shot from my service pistol and he was injured. He was immediately taken to Jogeshwari trauma care hospital and the hostages were rescued and handed over to their parents."You Can Also Check:Mumbai AQI|Weather in Mumbai|Gold Rate Today in Mumbai|Silver Rate Today in MumbaiThe FIR stated before the police team entered the studio, Rohan Aher who worked as assistant to Aarrya appeared at the window and told the cops that Aarrya had confined four children with ropes and had put adhesive tapes on their mouths."We saw a person from the window on the first floor saying his name was Rohit Aarrya and started talking to us policemen. At that time, since his voice was not clear, Sonawane took his mobile number from one Amol Dorugade and called Aarrya on his mobile number." Aher is key witness in the case, said the police.Police requested Aarrya to release the children and promised to fulfil his demands. "But he was in no mood to listen to anything, instead, he was insistent that everyone must get out of the place or he would set them on fire.At that time, the situation of the children kept locked up could not be understood but the sounds of the children crying and shouting could be heard. Also, at that time, we realised that he had installed separate CCTV cameras to record the movements of the policemen," states the FIR.Meanwhile, DCP Datta Nalawade called him and tried to talk to him, but he was not stating clearly what his demand was. He was threatening on the phone he would set fire here and may harm the children, the FIR said.The police team then spoke to Aher who was accessible through the window. Aher said he had been working with Rohit Arya since he past few days. Aarrya shouted at him for speaking to the police, prompting him to retreat.