Ship row: Kerala police asks 2 suspects to surrender by 8am tomorrow

Kerala police tonight asked two persons onboard the Italian oil tanker, who allegedly killed two Indian fishermen off Kollam coast, to surrender by 8am tomorrow and warned them of action if they did not.

Police sources said this was conveyed by Kochi Police Commissioner MR Ajith Kumar when he visited the ship Enrica Lexie and met its Captain and crew late this evening.

They said two suspected killers have been identified and asked to surrender by the deadline tomorrow and warned police would be forced to take action if they did not comply with the directive.

The police setting of the deadline for surrender by the suspected killers of the fishermen Ajesh Binki (25) and Jalastein (45) off the coast of Kollam on February 15 came in the wake of the refusal of the ship's crew to cooperate with the probe into the incident.

This was the second time in the day today that a team of senior Kerala police officers visited the ship and spoke to its Captain and the crew.

Ajit Kumar was accompanied by Assistant Commissioner of Police (Special Branch) MN Ramesh during the visit to the oil tanker late tonight.

Earlier in the morning, Additional DGP P Chandrasekharan, accompanied by Ajit Kumar, and investigating officers had boarded the ship and held discussions with the Italian Consul General and the Captain.

The Italians are sticking to their stand that they were expecting officials from Justice, External Affairs and two other ministries and only after their arrival a decision would be taken about their course of action, police sources said.