Family of Indian student to visit murder site

The parents of an Indian engineering student who was shot dead in Britain on St Stephen's Day will make an emotional visit to the scene of his murder today.

Anuj Bidve, 23, was shot in the head at point-blank range as he walked along Ordsall Lane in Salford with friends.

His parents, who met his fellow students and friends at Lancaster University yesterday, are expected to visit Ordsall Lane this morning.

Subhash Bidve called for justice for his son following a visit to Parliament after meeting Home Affairs Select Committee chairman Keith Vaz.

Mr Bidve, his wife, Yogini, and son-in-law, Rakesh Sonawane, spent about 35 minutes with Mr Vaz after flying into the UK on Wednesday.

The family is due to return to India with the student’s body later today.

A memorial ceremony for Mr Bidve has been planned to take place at Lancaster University later this month.

Speaking yesterday, Mr Bidve’s father said: “It was really unfortunate that I lost my son. But I feel myself as a father this should not happen again because a lot of Indian students come here for their education and they go back to their own countries.

“I humbly request to you all kindly do justice for Anuj and kindly make sure that students who come here for their studies, they have their own studies and go back to their own countries.”

He added of his son: “He was really straightforward, very disciplined, very softly spoken and very friendly to everyone and a very good son to me.

“I wanted to give him the best. As a father that’s what I wanted.”

Mr Vaz said he had passed on his condolences to the family during the meeting and updated them on contact he had received from well-wishers since the killing.

The Leicester East Labour MP also called on Facebook for Mr Bidve’s home page to be reopened at the request of his family.

Kiaran Stapleton, 20, of Ordsall, has been charged with Anuj Bidve’s murder.