The State Government has rejected the line of reasoning advanced by Italian officials with respect to shootout and killing of two fishermen by guards on board a tanker in the sea off Kollam.

The Italians have laboured to build a case based mainly around three arguments raised variously after the incident came to light, the Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy, told the State Assembly on Monday.

INCONSISTENT FACTS

Replying to an adjournment motion moved by the Opposition, he said that these were: the incident did not take place within the limits of Indian territorial waters; the fishing boat was targeted mistaking it for a pirate carrier, and no firing at all took place from on board Enrica Lexie, the oil tanker.

These were inconsistent with facts and circumstances, the Chief Minister said, adding that these were roundly rejected by the State Government.

Its position has received wholehearted support from the Central Government too.

He further said that the State Government had achieved a major success by managing to fetch the errant tanker to shores at Kochi for investigation.

EXHAUSTING OPTIONS

The State Government is bent on exhausting all options with respect to proceeding strongly and decisively against the accused in the case that took the lives of two innocent fishermen while being out at sea for the day's catch.

It proposed to set up 10 coastal police stations and appoint fishermen as coastal home guards to ramp up security.

The Chief Minister said this while alluding to the latest incident at sea off Alappuzha in which a suspected freight carrier rammed into a fishermen boat killing two with another two gone missing.

The Navy has been pressed into service for salvage operation. In this case also, the authorities are close to identifying the culprit with a suspect carrier having been asked to move closer in towards the Chennai coast.

Not satisfied with the reply, the Opposition trooped out of the House.

> vinson@thehindu.co.in

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