NAGPUR, Dec. 10 -- An "encounter" or a murder, opposition MLAs demanded to know, cornering the state government on the Powai hostage episode, in the legislative assembly on Tuesday. They were referring to the hostage drama that unfolded when consultant Rohit Arrya took 17 children hostage in Powai last month, over alleged non-payment of dues by the state government. The government justified shooting Arrya dead in the studio, saying the police action was aimed at saving the children's lives. Arrya had taken 19 people hostage, including 17 children, on October 30. Congress MLAs Vijay Wadettiwar, Nana Patole, Amin Patel and others questioned the shooting. Wadettiwar, who alleged it was "murder" as Arrya was not a terrorist, wanted to know why the police had aimed at Arrya's torso. "Arrya worked with the Mahayuti government, which failed to pay his dues and he had to resort to social media. Despite this, why was he shot dead? How did an encounter specialist reach the spot for the operation," asked Wadettiwar. Minister of state for home (rural) Pankaj Bhoyar said, "The crime branch has recorded the testimony of 115 people in this (Arrya) case. The police opened fire in self-defence because Arrya had held children hostage. The Human Rights Commission has directed to set up a committee to probe the incident. The next hearing will be on January 8," he said. Bhoyar replied that the government had cleared dues relating to the two projects Arrya had executed, in 2022 and 2023. Shiv Sena MLA Dilip Lande too justified the shooting of Arrya....