Italian sailors Salvatore Girone (R) and Massimiliano Latorre
Italian marines Salvatore Girone (R) and Massimiliano Latorre accused of killing two Indian fishermen off a coast in Kerala.Reuters

India has reacted sharply to a resolution adopted by the European Parilament asking New Delhi to allow two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen in 2012, to return to Italy.  

"The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, in its ruling on 14th January, 2015, has granted three months extension to the Italian marine, Massimiliano Latorre, for his stay in Italy on health grounds and the other marine, Salvatore Girone is living in the Italian Embassy in New Delhi," PTI quoted India's External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin as saying.

"Under these circumstances, the European Parliament would have been well advised not to adopt the Resolution," he added. 

A press release by the European Parliament in Strasbourg quoted the resolution, which asked for the return of the two marines to Italy, saying their detention without charge is a "serious breach of human rights."

"The European Parliament hopes that diplomatic dispute between Italy and India over the prosecution of two Italian marines...will soon be settled, under Italian jurisdiction and/or through international arbitration," said the release. 

The members who approved the resolution expressed their sadness over the death of two fishermen, Ajesh Binki and Gelastine.

The marines had fired at the two fishermen off a Kerala coast in February 2012, mistaking them for pirates.