Mumbai: The man accused of holding around 17 children hostage inside a studio in Mumbai’s Powai area on Thursday was killed in a police encounter after he allegedly opened fire at officers.

The accused, identified as Rohit Arya, succumbed to his injuries in hospital after being shot by police in retaliatory firing.

The tense standoff unfolded earlier in the day at R A Studio near the L&T building, where Arya had allegedly confined a group of children — aged around 15 — who were reportedly called for an audition. Police and fire brigade teams carried out a swift rescue operation, bringing all the children to safety.

“All the children are safe,” said joint commissioner of police Satyanarayan, confirming the successful rescue.

According to initial reports, Arya appeared mentally unstable and had posted a live video on social media before the rescue, saying he wanted to speak to certain people and was not seeking money. He had allegedly threatened to set the studio on fire if his demands went unheard.