Italian diplomat barred from leaving India

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NEW DELHI, March 15 (UPI) -- The Italian ambassador to India has been barred from leaving the country without the government's permission, Indian officials said.

Airports across India were informed Thursday that Italian Ambassador Daniele Mancini is barred from leaving India, the Press Trust of India reported.

The decision to keep Mancini in India came after the Italian government refused to extradite two Italian marines charged with killing two Indian fishermen in 2012, the BBC reported.

The marines, identified as Massimilian Latorre and Salvatore Girone, were allowed to return to Italy to vote in the general election in February under Mancini's promise they would return to India for prosecution. The Italian government has since refused to send them back.

Italy said since the case is the subject of international maritime law, it wants the two to be tried in Italy.

India has contended since the victims were Indian and on a fishing boat flying Indian flags, the marines should be tried in India.