Powai hostage incident: Magisterial probe launched into Rohit Arya's death

An independent magisterial inquiry has been launched into the death of Rohit Arya who was shot during a police operation to rescue 17 children and two adults allegedly held captive by him at a Mumbai recording studio on October 30The inquiry will run parallel to the investigation being carried out by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch reported news agency PTIA senior police officer said on Monday that the magistrate will summon witnesses record their statements and prepare a detailed report on the incidentThe hostage situation broke out inside RA Studio located in the Mahavir Classic building in Powai between 130 pm and 515 pm on October 30 The operation ended with the safe rescue of all hostages but resulted in the death of 50yearold Arya who sustained a bullet injury during the police action and was declared dead at hospitalJoint Commissioner of Police Law and Order Satyanarayan Chaudhary on Monday confirmed that a magisterial inquiry has been initiated into Aryas death as mandated by law and rulings of the Supreme Court PTI reportedThe magisterial inquiry is independent The concerned magistrate will call witnesses record statements and submit a report he saidCommenting on the hostage crisis Chaudhary stressed that the safety of children and two adults was the sole priority of the policeIt was a hostage situation concerning minor children for the police The polices priority was to rescue the kids safely and securely Chaudhary saidHe said the police decided to forcefully enter the studio after trying unsuccessfully for two hours to convince Arya to release the hostagesFor over two hours the police team tried to negotiate with him Arya and convince him to let the kids go and surrender But he did not budge He was constantly threatening to harm the children the officer saidAs Arya was allegedly carrying dangerous and harmful items such as inflammables and refusing to release the hostages the police determined they had to act and enter the premisesChaudhary claimed Arya had fired first from his air gun prompting a police officer to shoot him in retaliationArya shot his air gun and one police personnel shot in retaliation Chaudhary saidAs part of the standard operating procedure SOP the formal investigation into Aryas death has been transferred to the city polices crime branchChaudhary stressed that the police personnel involved in the hostage operation were properly prepared to handle such extreme scenariosOur police personnel including seniorlevel officials are all trained in how to tackle such hostage situations he addedArya had planned the operation in advance allegedly over the dues pending with the Maharashtra education department for a project The government had rejected the claimAs per a government resolution of the school education department dated January 25 2024 Arya was the director of Project Lets Change which ran the Swachhta Monitor initiative from July 20 to October 2 2023Under the initiative school students were to act as Swachhta cleanliness monitors and discourage people from spitting and littering in public places Around 64000 schools and 59 lakh students participated in itAccording to police Arya had conducted auditions for six days before October 30 for a web series Children would be admitted to the studio at 10 in the morning and given a lunch break before the session ended at 8 in the eveningHowever on the day of the incident children did not emerge during the lunch break which made the parents worriedIn a video released before police intervention Arya explained his motive claiming he had made a plan to hold the children instead of dying by suicideI have very simple demands Very moral ethical demands I have some questions Arya said adding I want to speak to some people I want these answers I am not a terrorist nor do I have any demand for money I want to make simple conversationsAryas videographer and witness Rohan Aher had stated that he had initially asked him to bring petrol and firecrackers an instruction Aher ignoredThe situation turned alarming when Arya reportedly set fire to a rubber solution inside the studio prompting Aher to run out for help and attempt a risky rescue of the trapped individualsPolice sources indicate Arya who had previously protested over alleged pending dues had little contact with his family in recent yearsWith PTI inputs