Rohit Arya, who held children hostage, claimed Maharashtra govt denied him credit for school project

He was shot dead by police during the rescue operation in Powai.

According to an India Today report, a Pune native, Arya had earlier worked on the project under the then Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar and later accused the government of stealing his idea. He claimed the initiative was based on his film “Let’s Change,” which inspired the concept.

“They used me to complete the work, but after that, they tried to suppress me,” he had said.

Arya alleged that officials implemented his concept under the state’s education programme without giving him credit or dues.

“They didn’t give me credit or money; they simply disowned my whole existence,” he had said in an earlier statement.

He also took credit for launching the Swachhta Monitor initiative in 2023 and said he was similarly denied recognition. In pursuit of acknowledgment, Arya staged multiple protests and went on a month-long hunger strike.

He had said, “On the night of August 3, Minister Deepak Kesarkar came to meet me at my home... and assured me that everything would be resolved August 5. But on August 7, it became clear that the minister's assurances were false.”

Naming several officials in his earlier statements, Arya had warned, “If I commit suicide, then Deepak Kesarkar, his personal secretary Mangesh Shinde, then education commissioner Suraj Mandhare, Tushar Mahajan, and Sameer Sawant will be responsible for it.”

Following the incident, former minister Kesarkar admitted Arya’s role in the project and said the issue should have been resolved.

“Rohit Arya had a concept called Swachhta Monitor (Cleanliness Monitor). He was also assigned work for my school’s Sundar Shala (Beautiful School) project... This matter should be resolved through discussion with the department. It is wrong to hold someone hostage like this,” Kesarkar said.

The hour-long standoff ended when police broke into the studio through a bathroom and rescued all 17 children unhurt. Air guns and chemicals were recovered from the site.

Arya, critically injured during the operation, succumbed to a bullet wound in the hospital.