Mumbai, Oct 30: Mumbai Police on Thursday rescued 19 persons including 17 children from a studio in Powai area while the man who had held them hostage succumbed to bullet injuries sustained during the operation, officials said.

Rohit Arya, who had released a video statement during the hostage drama that went on for about an hour, was shot by police when he tried to harm the children with an air gun and later died at hospital, an official said.

“All the children are safe,” said Satyanaranyan, Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order).

Arya had apparently called the children — boys and girls around 15 years old — for an audition for a web series, the official said.

Besides an air gun, Arya was carrying some chemicals, he added.

Initially, police did not mention that there had been a

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