Indian and Italian experts Saturday began a ballistic examination of the weapons allegedly used to kill two Indian fishermen last Wednesday by security personnel of an Italian oil tanker detained at the Indian port city of Kochi, said local media reports.

A special investigation team of police in the southern Indian state of Kerala began the search and ballistic examination of weapons on board Enrica Lexie in the presence of Italian experts who arrived here Saturday morning from Rome, reported the Press Trust of India.

Police will seize and seal the fire arms, suspected to have been used by the two arrested Italian naval guards, Latore Massimiliano and Salvatore Girone, in the alleged killing of two Indian fishermen off the coast of Kerala on Feb. 15.

Two Indian police officers, Commissioners Debesh Kumar Behera and M. R. Ajith Kumar along with a team of police officers and forensic experts boarded the tanker followed by a 10-member Italian delegation, including two Italian ballistic experts Major Flebus Luca and Major Fratini Paolo, said the report.

A local court has permitted the police to carry out a search of the weapons and their ballistic examination in the presence of Italian experts.

Italy has asked for ballistic examination of the weapons allegedly used by its naval guards who said they might have shot dead some pirates other than the fishermen.