British police officers apologise for delay in conveying news; bereaved family expresses confidence in UK govt and hopes for speedy justice.
The family of Anuj Bidve, a 23-year old student from Pune who was killed on December 26 in the UK, expressed full faith in the British police on Monday after two British officers visited their residence in Chandannagar. A student of micro-economics at Lancaster University, Bidve had been shot in the head from close range in the early hours of December 26 by a white gunman in his 20s in front of his shocked friends.
The family who had earlier been miffed with British police officials for not informing them in time about Anuj’s death as they learnt of his murder from a post on Facebook, said that the officers personally apologised for the delay. The cops stated that they were looking for an appropriate person to contact and break the news to the family.
Chief superintendent of Greater Manchester police Russ Jackson, chief constable and liason officer Peter Richards accompanied by Shirin Mistry, director, Western India Communications and Public Affairs met the Bidve family on Monday evening.
“All our questions have been answered satisfactorily by the British police who explained in detail, the investigations and procedure followed by them. However we are yet not aware of exact timeline when Anuj’s body will be handed over to us. We appeal to Indian High Commission to expedite the repatriation of Anuj’s body to India,’’ said Anuj’s cousin Suruchi Wagh while addressing media persons after the exit of British officers. She said that the family had temporarily postponed plans of going to UK until they had confirmed news of handover of Anuj’s body.
She added that the officials told them that five suspects were arrested in the murder case, three released on police bail while fourth person has been released and is no more a suspect. “One suspect, Kiaran Stapleton, has been charged and presented in magistrate court on Monday. He will be produced in the Crowns Court on Tuesday. We hope that charges against him are proven and justice is delivered to us,’’ added Wagh.
She added that the second post-mortem will be conducted on Tuesday by a different pathologist.
“If the report of two pathology reports match, Anuj’s body will be then handed over to Indian High Commission and the funeral director after the end of work hours. We don’t know how long it would take after the handover of the body to be finally released to the family,’’ she added.
When asked if British officials had told them about motive of crime, she said that they were treating the crime as ‘motiveless’.
“They say that the assailant hadn’t even spoken to Anuj. Anuj was walking on the road with friends when two people walked up to them. One of them asked Anuj’s friends for the time, he got his answer. Yet he pulled out a gun and shot Anuj whom he hadn’t even spoken with and hence, they are treating this as motiveless crime. Though they said they haven’t ruled out racist attack as a possibility,’’ said Wagh.
She also added that a candlelight vigil was being organised at the spot of murder in UK led by a Hindu priest who would recite some chapters from Gita accompanied by a British MP, police officials and lot of British and Indian supporters.
“We wish to thank everyone who stood with us in this difficult time,’’ she added.
Meanwhile, UK media reports said that the fifth suspect Stapleton when asked to confirm his name and address in the courtroom, said his name was Psycho, Psycho Stapleton.
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