Mumbai’s Powai Hostage Crisis Evokes Memories of 2008 Rahul Raj Bus Hijacking

Mumbai was shaken on October 30, 2025, when police shot dead Rohit Arya, a 50-year-old self-proclaimed filmmaker who held 17 children and two adults hostage at RA Studio in Powai. The chilling incident bore striking similarities to the 2008 Rahul Raj bus hijacking that once gripped the city. Arya, a Nagpur-based web series director, had allegedly invited the children, aged 13 to 17, for fake auditions. Once inside, he locked the doors, released a video threatening to harm the hostages and set the studio ablaze unless his demands were met.

The situation escalated rapidly as Arya demanded to speak with former Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar, claiming he was owed payment for an educational film he had produced for the state government. His actions mirrored a hostage thriller, evoking comparisons to the Yami Gautam film A Thursday. After hours of tense negotiations, the Mumbai Police’s special teams launched a tactical rescue operation. All hostages were safely rescued, while Arya was fatally shot during the exchange of fire. The Crime Branch has since taken charge of the investigation to uncover Arya’s motive and background.

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BEST Bus Hijack 2008

The crisis instantly reminded many of the October 27, 2008, incident, when 25-year-old Rahul Raj from Bihar hijacked a BEST bus on Route No. 332 in Andheri. During peak traffic, Raj attacked the bus conductor, brandished a gun and iron chain, and began firing inside, sending passengers into panic. Police cordoned off the area and surrounded the bus for over 40 minutes before shooting Raj dead after he refused to surrender. Then Deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil defended the action, saying, “If anyone uses a bullet, obviously he would get a bullet.”

Rahul Raj’s death ignited political outrage across Bihar and Maharashtra. Leaders like Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav, and Ram Vilas Paswan accused the Mumbai Police of excessive force and demanded a judicial probe. The episode had stirred sharp interstate tensions and debates on policing and regional politics. Now, nearly 17 years later, the Powai hostage crisis has reopened old wounds, raising questions about mental health, desperation, and the growing pattern of individuals resorting to extreme acts for attention or justice.