Firing probe: Two Italian marines arrested by Kerala police

After four days of hectic negotiation, two armed personnel of an Italian vessel, who allegedly shot dead two Indian fishermen off Kerala coast, were on Sunday taken into custody by the state police.

Latore Massimiliano and Salvatore Girone, who are part of the six-member security detail of the ship Enrica Lexie from Italian Navy, were brought to the shore this evening, nearly eight hours past the deadline set by the police last night.

The two were brought to the shore from the vessel by senior police officers led by Ernakulam Range IGP K Padma Kumar, Kochi Police Commissioner, MR Ajith Kumar, Kollam SP Sam Christy Daniel and Assistant Commissioner (Special Branch) MN Ramesh. Italian consul General also accompanied them.

They were taken to a CISF guest house at nearby Wellignton island for detailed interrogation, police sources said.

The two fishermen — Ajesh Binki, 25, and Jalastein, 45, — were killed on February 15 off Kollam coast when armed guards of the ship fired at their boat, suspecting it to be a vessel belonging to pirates.

A case of murder was registered by Kollam police in connection with the incident and the ship authorities last night agreed to hand over by 8am on Sunday the two marines after police made clear that the crew should be handed over to them.

However, the surrender of the two was delayed and they were brought to the shore only around 4pm.

IGP Padmakumar told reporters that police examined documents in the ship and recorded the statement of the 20-odd crew and the captain.

"As the matter was very sensitive, a detailed statement had to be made," he said adding, at no point of time they (ship crew) created any obstacles and extended their cooperation.

Police have recorded the statements of the captain and other crew members.

Earlier, Police Commissioner Ajit Kumar along with senior police officials had gone to the vessel shortly before the 8 AM deadline was to end.

Italian Consul General in Mumbai, Gian Paolo Cutillo, and Defence Attache Franco Favre were also in the ship.