Centre: Case will be registered
An angry Indian government on Thursday summoned Italian ambassador Giacomo Sanfelice di Monteforte to the foreign office at short notice to register its strong protest over the killing of two Indian fishermen by security guards of an Italian merchant vessel.
The fishermen, Ajesh Binki (25) and Jalasetein (45), were reportedly mistaken for pirates and shot on Wednesday off the coast of Alapuzha in Kerala. The duo were the only ones awake on board their vessel with the remaining nine asleep. The Italian vessel, Enrica Lexie, then reported the incident to the Indian authorities, according to the Navy.
The Italian envoy told reporters following his meeting with secretary (west), Madhusudan Ganapathi, “We are working in very close cooperation with Indian authorities. It is, in any case, a very sad incident. What I want to underline is that the Italian ship moved voluntarily into the Kochi port.”
Union home secretary R.K. Singh on his part told reporters, “A case will be registered against the people responsible for the firing and law will take its own course” when asked what action would be taken against those guilty of the fishermen’s killing. The home ministry has been in touch with the Kerala government on the killings as it is the state government that will eventually need to register the case.
A senior government official said that the Kerala government as well as the Indian Coast Guard have informed the home ministry that the security guards on board the Enrica Lexie had no authority to carry or use arms.
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