Mohite was injured in the attack, but he pulled out his service pistol and fired in self-defence. The accused was shot in the waist, Pingale added.
A murder case accused on the run for the last few months allegedly assaulted an inspector when he tried to nab the former in Latur city of Maharashtra, while the policeman opened fire in self-defence in which the accused was injured, an official said on Friday.
The incident occurred in Shrinagar area of the city late night on Wednesday, following which both - the inspector as well as the accused - were admitted to a local government-run hospital, he said.
"Two cases of murder had been registered against the accused, identified as Narayan Tukaram Irbatanwad, at the police stations at Chakur and Ahmedpur in the district. He was earlier nabbed for interrogation in connection with the cases, but fled from Chakur police station in March this year and was on the run since then," Superintendent of Police Nikhil Pingale said.
The police had launched a search for him and received a tip-off that the accused was in Shrinagar locality of Latur city on Wednesday. Based on this information, police inspector Balaji Mohite laid a trap and apprehended him just before he was leaving the place. But the accused assaulted Mohite and tried to strangle him to death after kicking him, he added.
Mohite was injured in the attack, but he pulled out his service pistol and fired in self-defence. The accused was shot in the waist, Pingale added. Both of them were later shifted to a hospital. While Mohite has been discharged from the medical facility, the accused is being treated, the SP added.
The accused was involved in selling intoxicating drinks and had earlier escaped from the police clutches while being arrested from an eatery in Miraj area, police said.
(With PTI inputs)