Two Italian marines taken into custody by Kerala Police

Kochi: After four days of hectic negotiation, two armed personnel of an Italian vessel, who allegedly shot dead two Indian fishermen off Kerala coast, were today 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, M R Ajith Kumar, Kollam SP Sam Christy Daniel and Assistant Commissioner (Special Branch) M N 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.