Anuj Bidve's murder was unprovoked, racist angle not ruled out

Britain's police have described the December 26 murder of Pune-based Anuj Bidve as "unprovoked and motiveless attack" without ruling out the racist angle, the sister of the deceased said on Monday.

Briefing reporters after a two-member team of Greater Manchester police headed by chief superintendent Berry Russel Jackson visited the Bidve family to apprise them about the circumstances leading to murder of the 23-year-old student at Lancaster university, and the state of investigation, Suruchi Wagh said, "We were told Anuj was killed in an unprovoked and motiveless attack. The Manchester police have not ruled out the racist angle or hate crime.

"We want justice to be done in the case and hope that the accused are brought to book."

Suruchi also appealed to the Indian High commission in Britain to expedite the matters relating to sending of Anuj's body to Pune.

"We are anxious about this and want the body to be sent here as early as possible", she added.

According to the information given to the family by the Manchester police team which spent two hours with them, a second post mortem would be performed on the body of Anuj tomorrow and if the reports of both autopsies matched, it would be handed over to the relatives through Indian High Commission.

The Bidve family members including Anuj's father Subhash are slated to leave for Britain tomorrow to claim the body.

Wagh also said that the British team was apologetic about delay in conveying the news of Anuj's death to his parents in India.

"We have full trust in the investigation by Greater Manchester police who have put 30 persons to work on the case", she said and thanked all well wishers in the country and the UK for the support extended to the family in its hour of grief.