In the aftermath of the Powai hostage crisis, mental health professionals have urged that a psychological autopsy be conducted to accurately assess Rohit Arya’s state of mind and motivations. Experts say that while he seemed to have been acting out of desperation, it would be premature to draw conclusions without a detailed psychological evaluation.
“The fact that he had planned each move so clearly… it cannot be justified that his demands were moral. Other than stating that he wished to meet a former minister, his demands were not clear. Thus, neither his demand nor his actions can be justified, especially when they turned into an act of crime,” said Dr Rashmi Joshi-Shetty, consultant psychiatrist.
“He mentioned ‘moral demands’ but did not specify what they were. This makes it impossible to accurately determine his motive or thought process,” said Dr Joshi-Shetty, emphasising that this gap in clarity calls for psychological investigation rather than mere speculation. “Also, considering that he bluntly mentioned that he had the potential to get triggered and harm the hostages, it can be considered that he had malicious motives,” she added.
Dr Kirti Tandel, another consultant psychiatrist, stated, “It would be premature to make any psychiatric conclusions regarding Arya without any background medical details. However, in my opinion, in general, for a person to resort to such an extreme step may reflect a deep sense of helplessness, perceived injustice or some kind of emotional isolation, like a feeling of being cornered and unheard. In such hostage like situations, the person’s state of mind may be in chaos, more of desperation than intent.”
“The person may oscillate between guilt, fear of consequences, and a desperate wish to justify their actions. Logic shuts down, emotions turn rigid, and it turns into a desperate attempt to feel seen or heard rather than a calculated plan. However, it’s crucial to remember that we cannot assume the presence of a mental illness without proper clinical evaluation. Labelling someone without assessment can be misleading because such behaviour may come from many other causes, such as stress and personal struggles, and not necessarily a psychiatric disorder,” she added.
Psychological autopsy
“It’s important to conduct a psychological autopsy, which means that everything, including his chats and calls, must be analysed by a mental health expert. Also, his family members, friends, colleagues, former colleagues, and neighbours must be questioned by psychiatrists. Only then can one conclude what his mental state was while planning and executing the hostage situation,” said Dr Joshi-Shetty.
