Bidve's parents view his body; to visit crime spot tomorrow
Britain today promised "full investigation" into the killing of Indian student Anuj Bidve, whose distraught parents viewed his body for the first time at a funeral parlour here, more than a week after the apparent hate crime.
Subhash Bidve, father of 23-year-old Anuj, arrived in London last evening along with wife Yogini and the victim's brother-in-law Rakesh Sonawane. They will visit the site of the December 26 gruesome crime in Salford tomorrow morning.
After their arrival here, they viewed the victim's body at a funeral parlour in London and met with Indian-origin Labour MP Keith Vaz in Parliament. Vaz, the Chairman of House of Commons Home Affairs Parliamentary said he will "certainly ask for a full investigation into the circumstances of the murder" once the criminal proceedings are over.
"Many people have contacted me to express their condolences and they are keen to set up a fund in memory of Anuj," he said. Vaz said the family mortgaged their house in Pune "to raise 10,000 pounds college fee for Anuj".
"People want to help the family. Details of the fund is being worked out," he said. Fighting back tears, Subhash said: "Thank you to everyone for the concern that everyone has about our son Anuj.
"It was really unfortunate that I lost my son, but I feel myself as a father that this should not happen again because a lot of Indian students come here for their education and they go back to their own countries."
Vaz said the family is also keen that Anuj's Facebook which has been closed is restored. The family will visit site of crime in Salford and the Lancaster University tomorrow where Anuj was a postgraduate student of Microelectronics.
Vaz said he wanted to send a message that the UK is the best place to study as over the last 5 years, more than 180,000 Indian students came to Britain for higher education.
The Bidve family will return to London tomorrow after praying at the crime spot in the Orsdall area of Salford.
They are also expected to visit Lancaster University, where 23-year-old Anuj was a postgraduate student of Microelectronics.
The university has decided to return his tuition fees. The family is expected to leave for India with the body tomorrow evening.
Meanwhile, Vaz also commended the Greater Manchester Police for the speed of the investigation, leading to the charging of Kiaran Stapleton from Ordsall, Salford for the murder.
Stapleton has been charged with his murder and remanded in custody until a plea and case management hearing on March 20.
Three other people arrested on suspicion of Anuj's murder have been granted bail until March pending further inquiries.
A fourth man, aged 19, had his bail cancelled.
