Sal(ve)ford on these wounds

Updated On: 03 January, 2012 08:56 AM IST | | Amit Roy

While Salford a Manchester suburb, is still shocked at Anuj Bidve's murder, people say it is time to do something about 'gun culture' and violence that is endemic in certain pockets of the area

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While Salford a Manchester suburb, is still shocked at Anuj Bidve's murder, people say it is time to do something about 'gun culture' and violence that is endemic in certain pockets of the area

Out of a group of five youths picked up for questioning after the killing of Pune boy Anuj Bidve in the early hours of December 26 in Salford, near Manchester, police released four on bail but on Sunday night charged the fifth, Kiaran Stapleton, 20, with the murder. But so far, it appears that police have not yet found the missing vital piece of evidence -- the hand gun with which the 23-year-old Indian electronics student at Lancaster University was shot at point blank range in the side of the head. Stapleton was produced in the City of Manchester Magistrates' Court. He was then taken away and kept in custody until such time as his trial is held --which won't be till late summer or autumn this year. Under Britain's strict laws on sub judice and contempt of court, the merits of the evidence against Stapleton can no longer be discussed by the media.

Tribute: Officers walk past flowers left at the scene of the murder ofu00a0
Anuj Bidve in Salford, northwest England. Kiaran Stapleton (22), charged
with the murder, appeared at Magistrates Court in Manchester yesterday.
Pics/AFP

Gun
A candlelit memorial service for Anuj was due to be held on Monday in Ordsall Lane, where he was shot on Boxing Day. There is heavy pressure from Anuj's family to have his body released so it can be repatriated home to Pune for Hindu rituals, proper grieving and an early funeral. But at the same time the gun, if and when found, has to be matched against the wounds for a successful prosecution. Nazir Afzal, the Crown Prosecution Service's chief prosecutor in the north west, announced the charge at a press conference at police headquarters on Sunday night--the police are well aware that although there have been several murders over the Christmas and New Year period, this is the most "high profile" case in the country.

Stapleton
He said, "I can now announce that the Crown Prosecution Service has authorised the police to charge Kiaran Stapleton, a 20-year-old man from Salford, with the murder of Mr. Anuj Bidve on Boxing Day. There is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction." This suggests that the group picked up for questioning --a boy of 17, followed by a 16-year-old, followed by a second 17-year-old, followed by a man of 19, followed by the 20-year-old who has been charged - were mostly likely part of the same gang. The suspects would have been questioned separately. Four were released on bail,which does not mean they are in the clear -- they can be rearrested at any time.u00a0 "Mr Stapleton will appear before the City of Manchester Magistrates' Court in the morning," Afzal had said on Sunday night. And he issued a warning the media will do well to heed. "Now that he's been charged I must remind everyone that he is entitled to fair trial and any reporting must not prejudice this trial." That means reporters cannot go knocking on his door, delving into his background. In the eyes of the law, he remains innocent until the prosecution proves otherwise at a trial.

"Finally prosecutors and police officers remain determined to deliver justice for Mr Bidve's family and friends," Afzal concluded. "They have our deepest condolences."

Under the overall supervision of Chief Superintendent Kevin Mulligan, Divisional Commander for Salford, the investigation is now headed by Assistant Chief Constable Dawn Copley, who said, "This remains a complex investigation and the fact we have charged someone does not mean the investigation is complete. As such, we are still asking for the public to contact us with any information they may have and there remains a ufffd50,000 (Rs 4,131,853.54) reward outstanding."

Bereaved: Family members of Anuj Bidve grieve

Distressed
She said, "Anuj's family, who are still in India, have been made aware that we have charged someone in relation to Anuj's murder and officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are in India to support the family in person. We know that the family is extremely distressed that Anuj's body has not been released to them. We have been in close contact with the coroner, who is anxious to release Anuj's body to his family at the earliest possible time. The investigation is still very much ongoing," stressed Copley. "We will continue our high visibility presence in the area and again I urge the local community to continue talking to us. So far we have received a fantastic response and this needs to continue." This is not India -- the area where Anuj fell, has been microscopically examined by forensic specialists wearing white suits to avoid contaminating evidence. Police did not want to give information to Anuj's distraught family, especially his father, Subhash Bidve, and his brother-in-law, Rakesh Sonawane, 30, on the phone. This is why a conduit has been established. GMP announced that a senior officer, Chief Superintendent Russ Jackson, and a specially trained family liaison officer, who deals with bereaved families, have arrived in India to meet Bidve's family and representatives from the Indian authorities. Copley explained, "Our family liaison officers are in regular contact with Anuj's family but passing information and updates over the phone is not the best way to communicate in such difficult and tragic circumstances. It is important to me personally, and Greater Manchester Police, to have someone from the force meet with Anuj's family at the earliest opportunity and help support them at this time. Having conversations face-to-face is absolutely the right thing to do. We will, of course, also provide whatever support we can throughout the family's forthcoming trip to the UK."

Guilt
The sense of despair expressed by Anuj's father and brother-in-law has added to the deep sense of collective guilt that has descended upon Salford. Norman Owen, leader of Salford's Liberal Democrats, said, "This is a disgrace. It is heartbreaking and unbelievable. What kind of city are we living in when we have a young man walking on the street with a gun and is ready to use it? If you look at the history over the last three or four years, we have had some severe shootings in this city. We are being dragged down by this issue and the police have got to get into gun crime." Asked if he thought this shooting had brought shame on the city, he responded, "It does. This city is trying to drive itself forward in many ways." But he said Salford needed to "rid itself" of the gun "culture" and work with police, parents and schools to address it. Ironically, Salford is closely linked with Sir Ben Kingsley, the actor who portrayed Mahatma Gandhi, apostle of peace, in Richard Attenborough's film. Kingsley grew up in Pendlebury, near Salford. He later studied at the University of Salford and at Pendleton College, which later became home to the Ben Kingsley Theatre.u00a0 Salford was not always synonymous with crime. The playwright Ayub Khan Din, author of East is East, was born in 1961 in Salford where his Pakistani father married his English mother and brought up their brood of 10 children in the 1960s and 1970s.

Watchful: Police officers stand guard as a vehicle carrying Kiaran
Stapleton arrives at Magistrates Court in Manchester yesterday

Flowers
Residents have laid flowers at the spot where Anuj fell. One card read, "We don't think living here will ever be the same. We send our condolences to your family and friends. We hope you don't blame us all." Others have sent condolence cards to Lancaster University. Susan Wilson (57), who has lived on nearby Asgard Drive for 31 years with sister Evelyn Wilson (61), said, "This lovely young man has come here to further his education and people whose lives revolve around violence have killed him. For this to happen in ouru00a0 neighbourhood is devastating and we're all very upset about it. It's like the whole country is looking at Ordsall now because of this. The area doesn't have a great reputation but we want people to know what's happened doesn't represent this area or the people living here."

Another neighbour who did not want to give her name said, "It's sick what has happened --absolutely disgusting." Regulars at the nearby pub The Bricklayers Arms on Ordsall Lane -- just yards from where the murder scene -- also condemned the violence. One 77-year-old man, who had lived in the area since 1999, said, "This is a very close-knit community. I really sympathise with this guy who has died. There's no control over the young people round here -- but that's no reflection on the older people who live here."u00a0