In a disturbing turn of events that unfolded in Mumbai, the individual responsible for holding 17 children captive under the guise of a web series audition, identified as Rohit Aarrya, had a prior history of working with prominent television channels. This information comes to light through statements made by his assistant, Rohan Aher.
Aher, who had been working with Aarrya since 2012, stated that Aarrya had earned his confidence through his experience with various major television networks.
The crime branch has recorded Aher’s statement and took him to the crime scene to reconstruct the sequence of events. Authorities are working to understand the full extent of Aarrya’s plan.
What Rohit Aarrya’s Assistant Told Cops
According to reports, Rohit Aarrya had told the children and Aher that he was creating a short film about children rebelling against corruption, which would include a kidnapping scene. This narrative, it is believed, was a calculated smokescreen for the actual hostage situation he was orchestrating.
Aarrya had meticulously planned the entire ordeal, even stocking up on food for the children in anticipation of a prolonged standoff. He had also ensured the studio’s door latch was repaired and strategically placed CCTV cameras to stream footage directly to his phone, bypassing the pre-existing surveillance systems.
“We were out of touch for a long time, but he called me recently and offered me this assignment. He told me he wanted to make a short film on children’s rebellion against corruption and there was a scene in which children would be kidnapped,” Aher revealed.
Father of Hostage Shares Aarrya’s Account
Sachin Jadhav, a farmer from Kolhapur whose daughter was among the hostages, recounted that the filming began on Sunday, October 26. Aarrya had contacted him on the 25th, and after reviewing his daughter’s video submission, he approved her participation. She had previously acted in several short films.
Mangala Patankar, Jadhav’s mother-in-law, who was also present with the children, found herself caught in the crisis. During the unfolding events, she managed to secure most of the children in a room, providing them with food and water, and keeping them calm.
“For three days, everything was fine. The children would come to the studio daily, at around 9 am. The lunch break was at 1:30 pm, and shooting would end at 5 pm,” Patankar said.
Jadhav noted a shift in Aarrya’s behavior around Tuesday or Wednesday, when he began covering the studio windows with black paper and attaching photos of the children, claiming it was necessary to improve the lighting for the shoot.
A police officer explained that on Thursday, Aarrya informed the parents about a planned kidnapping scene and even covered the children’s faces with tape. However, when the children didn’t come out for lunch and expressed hunger, Aarrya sent a video to one of the parents, declaring that all the children inside had been taken hostage.