‘India airports told to stop Italy amb.’

Indian airports have been told to prevent Italian ambassador Daniele Mancini if he tries to leave the country, a home ministry official says.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court of India issued an order to Mancini not to leave India after the Italian government’s refusal to return two marines, Massimilian Latorre and Salvatore Girone, charged with the murder of two India fishermen.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said on Friday that an order had been sent to immigration authorities at all the Indian international airports telling them that “Daniele Mancini should not leave without permission.”

Another senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, in the department said the ministry “is just following the Supreme Court’s order of preventing the Italian ambassador from leaving India.”

“He will have to inform the immigration authorities if he wants to leave the country,” the official added.

In May 2012, the Indian police charged the Italian marines with the murder of two fishermen who were shot and killed off India’s southwestern coast on February 15. The marines said they mistook the fishermen for pirates.

This year, the Italian ambassador in New Delhi negotiated a deal for the marines to return home to vote in the February election. He signed an affidavit providing his personal assurance that the two would return.

Earlier this week, Rome declared that it would not send back the marines.

On Wednesday, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that “there will be consequences” unless Rome returned the marines.

Singh stated Italy’s refusal to do so was “unacceptable”.