In a bid to mount pressure on India, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti has talked to his counterpart Manmohan Singh to express concern over the situation involving two Italian marines held in Kerala for allegedly killing two fishermen in February. Monti, who has been pressing for transfer of the marines to Italy, is believed to have conveyed concern over the conditions in which the two are in, sources said today. The telephonic conversation took place a few days back, prior to the hearing in Kollam court yesterday which rejected the bail plea of the marines Massimiliano Lattore and Salvatore Girone, the sources said. The marines were arrested on February 19, four days after they allegedly opened fire while travelling by ship Enrica Lexie and killed two fishermen off the coast of Kerala, apparently suspecting them to be pirates.

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