The mortal remains of Rohit Aarrya, who was shot dead by Mumbai Police after holding 17 people hostage inside a Powai recording studio, were cremated in Pune early Saturday morning.
Following the postmortem conducted at JJ Hospital in Mumbai, Aarrya’s body was brought to Pune in an ambulance, where his last rites were performed at around 2:30 am at the Vaikunth Crematorium in Navi Peth. His wife, son, and close relatives attended the cremation, police officials confirmed.
Aarrya, aged 50, had held 16 schoolchildren aged between 10 and 12 years and one adult hostage during a web series shoot on Thursday. The tense three-hour standoff ended after police successfully rescued all the hostages and fatally shot Aarrya.
According to police sources, Aarrya, who preferred using the surname “Aarrya” instead of his family name “Harolikar,” had been living away from Pune for several years and maintained minimal contact with his family. Investigators believe he had been leading an isolated life.
A few years ago, Aarrya had publicly accused the Maharashtra education department of withholding payments for a project he executed and had staged a protest in Pune regarding the issue. In a video recorded during the Powai incident, he claimed he only wanted “answers” and a “conversation,” which led him to take the hostages.
The Mumbai Police stated that Aarrya was shot dead after he fired and injured two hostages. Investigations are now underway into his mental condition, online activity, and the possible motive behind the shocking hostage crisis.