London:
The trial of 'Psycho Stapleton', a Briton accused of the murder of an Indian student Anuj Bidve on December 26 last in Salford begins in the Manchester Crown Court today. The trial of Kiaran Stapleton, 21, is expected to last 12 days.
On June 1, he had pleaded "guilty to the manslaughter of Anuj Bidve on the grounds of diminished responsibility, but not guilty to murder". However, official sources said it was not accepted by the Crown.
Anuj Bidve, a post-graduate student of Microelectronics at Lancaster University, was shot dead from close quarters when he was spending Christmas holidays with his friends in Manchester.
He was on his way from his hotel walking through Ordsall to the Boxing Day sales in Manchester city centre with a group of other Indian students when he was killed.
The Bidve family has travelled from Pune to attend the trial of Stapleton, who described himself as 'Psycho Stapleton' in a court hearing in January.
Anuj Bidve's killing was widely condemned as emotional candlelight vigils were held in Salford and New Delhi. A special service was held in Bidve's memory at Lancaster University.
After Anuj Bidve's killing, Lancaster University and Universities UK had quickly assured Indian students of their safety while studying here.