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24 April 2024

Second teen held after Indian student shot dead in Britain

Published
By AFP

British police on Tuesday arrested a second teenage boy on suspicion of murder after an Indian student was shot dead in Manchester in northwest England.

Greater Manchester police said they had detained a 16-year-old over the death of Anuj Bidve, following the arrest earlier Tuesday of a 17-year-old. The teenagers were in police custody, said the force.

Bidve, 23, from the western Indian city of Pune, was killed early Monday as he walked with friends from his hotel in Salford, an area to the west of Manchester, towards the city centre.

In a statement issued through Manchester police, Bidve's family said his death had left "a void in our lives."

"Anuj was a loving son, a super caring brother and first and forever a friend for many.

"He valued his relationships and put them over anything else."

Police said on Monday when asked whether the murder could have a racial motivation that they were "investigating every possible aspect."

Bidve, who was studying for a micro-electronics postgraduate qualification at Lancaster University, around 40 miles (60 kilometres) from Manchester, was enjoying a short break in the city with eight Indian friends.

The group was stopped by a man who spoke to them before shooting Bidve at close range.

Professor Bob McKinlay, deputy vice chancellor of Lancaster University, paid tribute to Bidve saying the student had been "at the very beginning of a promising career and had only been at Lancaster for a short time.

"We are deeply saddened by his loss and our thoughts are with his family and friends, and we will do all we can to support them at this sad time."