SC orders compensation worth 5 lakhs to fishermen killed by Italian marines in 2012

The authorities had earlier passed the orders to pay Rs 2 crores to the captain and the owner of the boat. Today the court directed that out of those 2 crores, Rs 5 lakhs each will be paid to the fishermen affected, and the heir and widow of the two deceased fishermen will also receive compensation.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the central government to pay Rs 5 lakhs each to the 9 fishermen affected due to the shooting by two Italian marines, Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone back in 2012. The bench comprising Justice MR Shah and Justice MM Sundresh was hearing the appeal filed by the affected fishermen seeking adequate compensation.

The authorities had earlier passed the orders to pay Rs 2 crores to the captain and the owner of the boat. Today the court directed that out of those 2 crores, Rs 5 lakhs each will be paid to the fishermen affected, and the heir and widow of the two deceased fishermen will also receive compensation. Consequently, the owner of the boat and the captain will now receive Rs 1 crore 55 lakhs.

The money was deposited in the Kerela High Court for disbursal and it shall now be distributed among the fishermen. It was mentioned during the hearing that the fishermen have been traumatized and are now scared to go back to the sea.

The case pertains to the killing of two Kerela fishermen by two Italian marines back in 2012 after the fishermen ventured too close to an Italian oil tanker. The Italian marines mistook the belts that the fishermen were wearing as guns and opened fire on them killing two of them.