The Mumbai Police officer who fatally shot filmmaker Rohit Arya, during a hostage situation at a Powai studio, felt a "real threat" due to Arya's weapon and the presence of children. Arya, 50, held 17 children and two adults hostage at the RA Studio in Powai on Thursday, claiming he was filming a hostage scene. However, the situation escalated, leading to a three-hour standoff and Arya's death.

According to police reports, the incident began under the guise of a web series audition that had been ongoing for several days. On the day of the incident, Arya's videographer, Rohan Aher, was instructed to lock all entry points to the studio under the pretense of shooting a fire scene. Arya brandished an air gun and flammable rubber solution, further isolating those inside. Aher, who had worked with Arya for a decade, said Arya had asked him to bring petrol and firecrackers a day before, but he refused.

As the situation deteriorated, Arya poured the rubber solution and set it ablaze in front of the children. When Aher and others tried to stop him, Arya used the air gun to keep them away. Police arrived and attempted to negotiate with Arya. However, Arya remained "adamant," which forced the police to enter the studio through a bathroom window.

Inside, police found that Arya had installed motion sensors on the doors and windows and had turned the CCTV cameras to obstruct visibility. When officers entered, Arya allegedly pointed the air gun at them and opened fire. In response, an inspector shot Arya in the chest. Arya was taken to a hospital where he was declared dead. All 17 children were safely rescued.

Following the incident, police recovered an air gun, petrol, flammable rubber solution, and a lighter from the studio. The items were sent for forensic examination, and the case was handed over to the Mumbai Crime Branch for further investigation. Powai Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Arya under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including attempt to murder and kidnapping.

Arya, who described himself as a "self-styled acting coach and motivational speaker", claimed his actions were motivated by unpaid dues from the Maharashtra government. He alleged that the government owed him ₹2 crore for his work as Project Director for Project Let's Change – PLC Swachhata Monitor, a cleanliness initiative adopted by the state's primary education department in 2022. The project involved schoolchildren acting as cleanliness ambassadors. Arya claimed he wanted to draw attention to the unpaid amount. He released a video stating he did not intend to harm anyone, but wanted to ask some "moral and ethical" questions.

However, the Maharashtra school education department has denied Arya's claims of unpaid dues, stating that he failed to provide the necessary documentation to support his claim. They added that Arya had been collecting "registration fees" from schools without government permission. Deepak Kesarkar, former Maharashtra school education minister, stated that Arya had been asked to put the funds collected into a government account and submit a detailed budget. Kesarkar acknowledged that Arya had worked on the Swachhata Monitor project and that he had personally given Arya money after Arya complained about delayed payments.

Neighbors and acquaintances expressed shock and disbelief at Arya's actions, remembering him as "calm and composed". Arya's wife, Anjali Arya, said that he had been driven to desperation due to the alleged unpaid dues.