Marines to be moved to Borstal School in Kochi

Addressing reporters here, he said the government had not taken the decision under any pressure.

"Italian government had requested us to shift them to a guest house declaring it as a prison. However we have now decided to shift them to the Borstal School which is already a notified prison for delinquents."

He said on a plea from the Italian government, the Supreme Court had observed that the state DGP and jail ADGP could take an appropriate decision on shifting the marines from the jail.

The Marines, Latore Massimilliano and Salvatore Girone, have been in Judicial remand for the last three months and lodged in the Poojappura Central Prison here.

They have moved the High Court for bail after the district court in Kollam rejected their plea.

The naval guards onboard Italian vessel 'Enrica Lexie' were arrested on February 19. The two were charged with murder of fishermen Valentine Jalastine and Ajesh Binki, who took to sea from Neendakara in Kollam, after they fired at them apparently mistaking them for pirates on February 15 off Kerala coast.