Probe into Indian fisherman killed by Italian marines

India Sunday said the probe into the killing of two fishermen by two guards on board an Italian ship off the southern coast is in the right track, reiterating that the accused would be prosecuted as per the law of the land. "The investigation in the case was progressing on the right direction and the Kerala government was handling it very strongly and powerfully. The case will be proceeded under the Indian law. Judiciary in the country is independent," Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony told media in the southern state of Kerala's capital Thiruvananthapuram. "The incident of shooting down of two hapless fishermen off the coast of Kollam on Feb. 15 was unfortunate and equally condemnable, " said Antony. Indian and Italian experts Saturday began the search for and ballistic study of the weapons used by the Italian oil tanker, Enrica Lexie, in shooting the fishermen. The arrested Italian marines -- Latore Massimiliano and Salvatore Girone -- have been slapped with murder charges and are currently in police custody in the port city of Kochi for allegedly killing fishermen, Valentine Jalastine and Ajeesh Binki, who were in the sea in a boat along with nine others. The Italian authorities contended that according to an Italian law, the two Italian marines were protected by immunity as the fishing boat was fired mistakenly as a pirate vessel in the international waters. But India said the fishermen were in Indian waters when they were fired at and the two Italian marines should be tried in India.