Panic and fear gripped residents of Mahavir Classik, a residential building in Powai, after Thursday’s hostage incident at RA Studio, located within their premises. The studio, allegedly sublet by its owners Mr and Ms Agarwal, to Rohit Arya — without the consent of the housing society or the local police — has become the centre of anger and anxiety among the residents. “We were completely unaware that such activities were happening inside our building. None of us were told that the studio was given out to a third party. We feel betrayed and unsafe,” said Arti Buch, a resident.
‘Trauma will stay for long’
Residents recalled the panic that swept through the building when police vehicles arrived on Thursday afternoon. Many locked themselves indoors, unsure of what was unfolding.
Resident Arti Buch and committee member Rijji Poojary (right) Residents Piyali Roy and Arti Jain
“We saw police rushing into the studio and people crowding at the gate. There was total confusion. No one from the committee or building management knew what was happening,” said Maharshi Sharma, another resident. Committee member Rijji Poojary added, “This incident will stay with us for a very, very long time. It’s going to be hard for us to return to normal.”
Residents blame studio owner
At the heart of the outrage is the studio owner, who residents say rented out the space to Arya without informing the society or seeking a police NOC. “The owner often conducted activities involving children, so we initially assumed it was one of those sessions. But if he sublet the space, it was his duty to inform the society. This is standard practice, not just for security but for accountability. Had that been done, this entire situation might have been avoided,” Poojary said.
Another resident, Piyali Roy, said, “The owner earlier ran a nursery in the same space. Both my kids studied there. I was shocked by this level of carelessness, especially from someone from an educational background, who should’ve known the responsibility that comes with involving children.” “Being a mother of two, it was heartbreaking to see those kids trapped inside. We had tears in our eyes when police finally rescued them,” added Arti Jain, another resident.
