Govt has taken strong stand on Italian marines issue: Antony

India has taken a strong stand on the killing of two fishermen allegedly by two marines of Italian ship Enrica Lexie, Defence Minister AK Antony said on Tuesday.

He also referred to the action taken against a Singapore-flagged ship suspected to have been involved in the hit-and-run mishap at sea causing the death of five Kerala fishermen.

Though the two ships had left Indian waters, they were brought back, arrested by police and brought before Indian court, he told reporters in Piravom.

Antony said the matter relating to the arrest of the marines and collision of 'Prabhu Daya' with a fishing boat on March 1 was before the Kerala and Madras high courts respectively.

Asked if the two marines would be let off after the crucial Piravom bypoll, he said the matter was before the court.

Antony was here for campaigning for the March 17 bypoll to Piravom assembly constituency.

The central government had taken a decision to fully cooperate with the Kerala government on the issue. The Italian marines were being tried as per Indian laws, he said, adding the government had no influence on the judiciary.

On the CPI(M)'s allegation of UDF engineering defection resulting in the resignation of Neyyatinkara MLA R Selvaraj from the party, Antony said the issue had come as a "shock" for the Marxist party leaders in the state.

"They have not recovered yet. Selvaraj was hurt by the party and he was suffocated following which he quit," he said.

"This is the situation in Kerala and West Bengal units of the party.