The Kerala government has urged the centre to take steps to ensure a fair trial against the Italian marines accused of killing two fishermen from Kerala.
In a letter sent on Saturday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi that if an appeal against the international tribunal order exempting the marines from prosecution in India was not possible, India should try to build international pressure for a fair trial in Italy. Though the tribunal upheld the right for compensation to the marines, it was unfortunate that the tribunal held that the crime cannot be tried in India, said Vijayan.
He also added that India need to bargain for an exemplary amount of compensation as the fishermen were killed without any provocation from them.
It was in 2012 February fishermen Valentine and Ajesh Binki were shot by marines Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone of oil tanker vessel Enrica Lexie. The incident took place of the Kollam coast in South Kerala. The marines were suspected to have fired the fishermen mistaking them for pirates.