Tragedy in Mumbai: Rohit Arya's Fatal Hostage Crisis and the Shocked Pune Community

Rohit Arya, who was fatally shot by police, had taken 17 children aged 10 to 12 hostage at a Mumbai recording studio.

The 50-year-old man involved in the dramatic hostage situation at a Mumbai recording studio would occasionally visit his elderly parents in Pune, leaving neighbors shocked by the violent incident that resulted in his death.

Police terminated Arya's life on Thursday after he held captive 17 children between ages 10 and 12 who had come to his studio in a Powai high-rise building for what they believed was an audition for a web series. The standoff lasted three hours before authorities successfully rescued all children and two adults.

His parents own a residence in an upscale Pune neighborhood called Kothrud, in the Swaranjali Cooperative Housing Society, though they are currently away from the city.

Society members revealed on Friday that while Arya's parents had lived there for many years, they generally maintained a private lifestyle. Arya's siblings—both his brother and sister—have settled in the United States.

"His parents have resided here for several years, and Rohit would visit them occasionally. We understand he primarily lived in Mumbai and had spent some time in Gujarat. His parents have been away from their apartment for the past few days, and their flat remains locked," explained a housing society member.

The resident mentioned that Arya's father, A R Harolikar, suffers from heart issues.

"News of his son's death must have been devastating for him. Rohit comes from a highly educated family—his father is an alumnus of the College of Engineering, Pune (COEP) and was a businessman," the society member added.

The resident admitted being unaware of when or why Rohit had changed his surname.

"We learned through news reports that he used Arya rather than Harolikar as his surname. When we saw his face on television yesterday, we were stunned to discover he was Harolikar's son," the resident stated.

According to police sources in Pune, Arya had been living away from the city for some time. Initial information suggests he had minimal contact with his family in recent years.

Reports indicate that Arya had previously claimed unpaid dues for work he had completed for the Maharashtra education department, and had even conducted a protest in Pune attempting to recover the money.