Charge sheet filed against Italian marines in shootout case

Kollam (Kerala, India), May 18 (PTI) Three months after they allegedly shot dead two Indian fishermen off the coast of southern Kerala state, police today filed a charge sheet against the two Italian marines in a local court here charging them with murder under the Indian Penal Code and also invoking the International Maritime Law. The marines, Latore Massimiliano and Salvatore Girone on board the Italian ship 'Enrica Lexie' when the incident occurred on February 15, are listed as the first and second accused respectively in the 196-page charge sheet, including annexures, filed before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kollam. The Italian naval guards, lodged in the Central prison at Thiruvanathapuram for nearly three months, are also facing charges under IPC sections for attempt to murder, for causing damage or loss and for acting in common intention. Article 3 of the Suppression of Unlawful Act of International Martime Navigation has also been invoked in connection with the incident which had led to a diplomatic row between India and Italy. The charge sheet, drawn up after three months of investigation, said the ship was sailing 20.5 nautical miles off the Indian coast when the marines fired at the fishermen from Kerala who were aboard the boat St Antony. The charge sheet listed vital exhibits like Voyage Data Recorder (DR), six Beretta guns, two mini-light machine guns, 1690 bullets and the deck-log of the ship, both in Italian and English and GPS, seized from the vessel. The charge sheet cited 60 witnesses including the crew members of the vessel and the fellow fishermen who were on board the boat which was fired at by the marines. The victims, Valentine Jalastine and Ajesh Binki, who took to sea along with nine other fishermen from Neendakara near here, were shot dead on February 15. The Italian marines were arrested on February 19 and lodged in jail. The vessel, which was detained for more than two months off Cochin port, was allowed to sail a few days ago on getting clearance from the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Steffan de Mistura expressed hope that there would a speedy trial. Mistura, who met the marines in the prison yesterday, called on Archbishop M Soosai Pacckyam in Kerala state capital Thiruvananthapuram this morning. He told reporters that Italy also shared the safety concerns of Indian fishermen and would take steps to ensure that ships from his country would not stray into territorial waters, where traditional fishermen mostly engage themselves. The Archbishop said he also asked the Italian officials to take the initiative for strengthening international laws concerning the safety of fishermen so that unfortunate incidents like this could be avoided. PTI