Zeenews Bureau
London: A 20-year-old Briton on Friday admitted to killing Indian student Anuj Bidve in Salford on December 26 last year.
Kiaran Stapleton pleaded guilty in a Manchester court today and admitted to shooting 23-year-old Bidve in an unprovoked attack on Boxing Day. Stapleton, admitted to manslaughter at the Manchester Crown Court. He is expected to go on trial for murder.
According to a news channel, Bidve`s family stated: "We have made the journey from India to the United Kingdom because it was very important to us to hear, in person, Kiaran Stapleton`s plea.”
"This is the first time we have returned to the UK since Anuj was taken away from us on Boxing Day of last year, and the first time we have come face-to-face with the man charged with his murder, so clearly this is a very emotional and difficult time for us. “
"We have today heard in person that Kiaran Stapleton admitted killing Anuj. We know there is tremendous amount of interest from the media both at home in India and here in the United Kingdom.” "As there will be a trial later this month, we cannot say anything further at this time and we would ask that the media respect both our privacy and the integrity of the court process.”
Lancaster University student Anuj Bidve was walking with friends in Salford when he was shot in the head at close range. A postgraduate student of Microelectronics at Lancaster University, Bidve died from a single gunshot wound.
Hundreds of people had attended candle-light vigils in Salford and New Delhi as the incident made headlines across India and Britain.
Bidve`s parents had arrived in the UK to collect the body for cremation in Pune.
(With PTI inputs)