Mumbai Police's senior inspector Jitendra Sonawane called the rescue operation of 17 children, held hostage by a man named Rohit Arya, the "toughest 80 minutes" of his career. Sonawane kept Arya engaged on phone while police and fire brigade officials stealthily entered the building. "Do whatever you've to do to me. Don't do anything to children," Sonawane recalled telling Arya.