Fishermen killings: Custody of marines extended by 7 days

A court in Kollam on Thursday extended by seven days the police custody of the two Italian naval guards, charged with murder of two Indian fishermen off Kollam coast.

Latore Massimiliano and Salvatore Girone of the ship Enrica Lexie were produced before the judicial magistrate court amid tight security at the end of their three-day police custody granted by the court on February 20.

Accepting a prosecution plea, Magistrate Dhony Thomas extended the police custody of the two accused till March 1.

The court also allowed the presence of one representative of Italian government when the search for fire arms was conducted in the ship.

The two marines were arrested on February 19 and remanded in judicial custody by the court till March 5. But it had allowed police custody for three days for interrogation.

After court formalities, the accused would be taken back to Wellington near Kochi where they were lodged at the CISF guest house.

Kerala police have registered a murder case under IPC section 302 against the two marines after Valentine Jalastine and Ajeesh Binki were killed in firing allegedly by them on February 15 off Kollam coast.

The Italians claim that they opened fire suspecting the fishermen as pirates.