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| Untimely death: Anuj Bidve, pictured with a friend, had 'dreamed' of going to the UK |
The ravaged family group of the college student that was carried out in the streets on Boxing Day have voiced of their grief and point out they have 'lost belief in everything'.
Anuj Bidve, 23, an electronics university student from a wealthy Indian family, was shot in the head at point-blank range right after he and his friends strayed into a tough inner-city district by blunder.
Speaking from Pune today, Mr Bidve's brother-in-law Rakesh Sonawane, 30, who is married to the student's sister Nehal, said: 'Anuj had been very happy. It was his dream to go to the UK but unfortunately his dream could not last longer than three months,' Mr Sonawane said.
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| Victim: Anuj Bidve, who had a 'heart of gold' |
Two teenagers, aged 16 and 17, have been arrested on suspicion of murdering the Lancaster University student's murder in Salford.
The first warrant, that of the 17-year-old, was executed in the Salford area the early hours of Tuesday 27 December 2011.
Both remain in custody for questioning over the fatal on Ordsall Lane in Salford at about 1.35am on Monday 26 December 2011, Greater Manchester Police said.
Mr Sonawane that Anuj had planned to return to India 'to serve his nation' following the postgraduate studies in Lancaster.
The student was described as 'clever and sporty', and a fan of football, supporting Manchester United.
Mr Sonawane added: 'He loved to travel and make friends. He had lots of friends. You only have to look at his Facebook page to see how many friends and followers he had.
'We have completely lost faith in everything.'
He added that the family have received lots of messages of support, especially from the Indian student community in Lancaster.
They have spoken to some of those who were with Anuj when he was killed and said the eight students have now returned to the university.
'They are equally disturbed and shocked,' the brother-in-law said.
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Executed: His family say they are trying to have their
son's body flown back to India as soon as possible |
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Tributes have been left on Facebook, including one page set up by a fellow Lancaster student which plans a 'peace march' in the young man's memory.
According the page, set up by Sonakshi Saran, Anuj 'was killed for not answering a simple question - What's the time?'.
But Greater Manchester Police have not disclosed what was said during the short conversation between the killer and victim.
The student's father, Subhash, a branch manager with an energy company, has called on the UK government to speed up the process of returning Anuj's body to India.
In a message on his son's Facebook wall, he said: 'Please help in getting Anuj Bidve's dead body back to India. He was shot in Manchester today morning. We appeal to all his friends in UK and India to help spread the word. Please help us get Anuj back. Please share this message.'
Mr Sonawane said he had tried to contact the Indian High Commission in London but it has been shut for Christmas.
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| Devastation: Tributes have been left at the scene where the student was killed |
He added: 'We are asking the UK government and the Indian Embassy to expedite the return of Anuj's body to his family at the earliest opportunity.'
Police said the students, who had not been drinking, were walking from their hotel towards the city centre and became aware of two men on the other side of the street.
The gunman, a white male in his 20s who was wearing a grey top, walked across the road and engaged the victim in a short conversation before producing the gun and shooting the student at close range to the side of the head.
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| Probe: Forensic officers search for clues into the shooting which happened at around 1.35am this morning. It was unclear what the motive was for the killing |
The killer then ran back across the street before the pair fled on foot towards Asgard Drive and the Ordsall housing estate.
A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: 'Armed response officers attended within minutes and found a 23-year-old man had been shot at close range in the head.
'Extra patrols and an increased visible police presence will be out in the area over the coming days.'
Although no racist insults were heard, detectives leading the investigation would not rule out the theory that the shooting was racially motivated.
Mr Bidve, a postgraduate microelectronics student at Lancaster University, was part of a group of nine male and female Indian students who were visiting Manchester for a short break over the Christmas holidays.
They had gone out to celebrate on Christmas evening but as they were returning home on foot they accidentally strayed into an area notorious for crime and were approached by two strangers.
Without apparent warning or provocation, one of the men pulled a handgun from his pocket and shot Mr Bidve in the side of the head. As his horrified friends tried desperately to give him first aid, the killer and his accomplice ran off.
Last night police launched a manhunt for the killers and were investigating the theory that Mr Bidve may have been a victim of mistaken identity.
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| Anuj Bidve, 23 with friends in circle |
Police said there was nothing to suggest the attack in the notorious Ordsall area in Salford was a robbery or racially motivated but officers are keeping an open mind.
A police source said last night: ‘The victim was shot at point-blank range with a pistol to the side of the head – it was an execution-style killing on the side of a main road on Christmas night.’
Armed police, detectives and forensic experts scoured the scene of the gangland-style execution which occurred at 1.35am near a McDonald’s burger bar.
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McDonalds murder investigation: The man was stood outside the fast food restaurant with
another man when two people walked over to them.
Shortly afterwards the victim, aged in his 20s, was shot |
A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: ‘Initial inquiries have established the man was a university student who was visiting Manchester along with a group of friends.
‘They were walking along Ordsall Lane when they saw two other men approach. Without warning or any provocation, one produced a handgun and shot the victim at close range'
Mr Bidve’s family were traced to Pune in India and specially-trained officers had to break the news to them. His father, Subhash Bidve, asked his son to contact his family only last Friday, saying: ‘Come on skype today night your mom want to speak to u!’
Tonight he wrote: ‘Please help in getting Anuj Bidve’s dead body back to India. He was shot in Manchester today morning. We appeal to all his friends in UK and India to help spread the word. Please help us get Anuj back.’
In the postgraduate bar in Lancaster, students held their heads in their hands. Student Visha Chandak, 22, said: ‘I didn’t know him personally but some of my friends did. They say he was a nice guy. From what we have been told he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.’
Mr Bidve was the postgraduate representative on the university’s Indian Society Committee. President Sonakshi Saran said last night that he was a ‘good friend’ who ‘was also a thorough professional’.
She added: ‘He was a gem of a person. He was a cheerful and a very energetic person who was enthusiastic about doing things, helping people. It is very shocking and upsetting.’
She said his hobbies included playing sport and cooking.
Parth Gautam, another student, described Mr Bidve as ‘a man with a heart of gold’.
Chief Superintendent Kevin Mulligan said: ‘Our deepest sympathies go out to the man’s family and friends at this very traumatic time.
‘There appears to be no obvious motive for the killing of a young student who was simply visiting Manchester for the festive period.
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| Murder probe: Police cordon off the scene following the random shooting in the early hours of the morning |
‘This will undoubtedly cause shock and upset in our community and we share those feelings.
‘We will relentlessly pursue every possible lead we have to identify the offenders and bring them to justice. I believe the answers to who did this will lie in our community. Someone will know who was responsible and I want to implore those people to be courageous.
‘This young man was simply visiting Manchester with his friends and has been killed, and his family deserve to see those responsible brought to justice.
‘Please, if you know something, then do what is right and come forward – anonymously if necessary. If it was your brother, son, husband or friend who was killed while visiting another city you would want justice, so please help us do the same.’
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| Evidence hunt: The victim was taken to hospital but was later pronounced dead |
A Lancaster University spokesman said: ‘Our thoughts are with Anuj’s family at this time, and counselling and support has been organised for his fellow students who are deeply upset.’
The gunman is described as white, slim, in his mid-20s and wearing a grey top. The other man was of a heavier build and wearing a black jacket.
06:21
soniya saxena
