Police custody of Italian marines extended till March 5

Kollam (Ker), Mar 1: A local court today extended till March 5 the police custody of two Italian marines charged with murder of two Indian fishermen.

Marines Latore Massimiliano and Salvatore Gironi were produced before Chief Judicial Magistrate A K Gopakumar, as the deadline of their police custody ended today.

The duo were initially remanded in judicial custody for 14 days by the court on February 20, but based on the plea of the investigators, they were sent to police custody.

The marines of Italian ship 'Enrica Lexie' have been charged with offences under Section 302 (murder) of IPC for allegedly killing two fishermen by firing at their boat off the coast of Kollam on February 15 after suspecting them to be pirates.

The two marines were produced before the magistrate amid tight security in the afternoon.

PTI