A white gunman who shot student Anuj Bidve in an unprovoked racist attack in Salford, Manchester, last December was on Thursday convicted of his murder. Kiaran Stapleton (21), who calls himself “Psycho Stapleton”, will be sentenced on Friday.
He faces life sentence after a jury at Manchester Crown Court rejected the defence’s claim that he suffered from a mental abnormality and found him guilty of murdering Bidve in cold blood without any provocation.
Prosecutor Brian Cummings, QC, said the starting point for a murder using a firearm was 30 years in prison. Stapleton denied murder but admitted to the lesser offence of manslaughter on account of “diminished responsibility”. He showed no emotion as the verdict was delivered. Bidve’s mother, Yogini wept, while his father, Subhash Bidve, held his hands to his face.
Later, speaking outside the court, Mr. Bidve said: “Our son Anuj was the most kindest and most genuine person on this earth. Anuj Bidve was killed as he walked through Salford with friends. He knew the difference between right and wrong and lived his life the right way. Kiaran Stapleton is the complete opposite, yet he is the one who is still alive and our son is dead.”
Bidve (23), a P-G student of Lancaster University, was holidaying in Salfordwith his friends when in the early hours of December 26 the group was accosted by two white men in their 20s. One of them — later identified as Stapleton — shot him in the head at close range after asking him for time.
This is the difference between Indian and foreign Judicial system, within 6 months the guilty has been sentenced to life term. In India it wud have taken whole 30 years to convict such murderer.
Good job UK govt.
Does it really matter that the gunman is white? He is a deranged, sick individual -
a psychopath who wanted to kill someone, ostensibly to enhance his reputation in
the criminal gang he belonged to. And Anuj Bidwe was the random victim of
Stapleton's crazed actions. Police in the UK rule out the crime as being a hate
crime - Anuj was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But that apart, I still do not understand why The Hindu has to bring in the colour of
the perpetrator into the story. Not long ago a Dutch girl was raped by an auto-
rickshaw driver and his friend in Bombay. Should Dutch newspapers have run a
headline "Brown men rape white woman?"
It is time that The Hindu and its journalists stop looking at the world through the
prism of skin colour.
Why is this described as racist? The killer had previously attacked other white people.He made no racist comments and investigators have concluded he killed Anuj simply because Anuj and his friends were happier and more successful than he was.
It's heart-breaking that a life so young has been extinguished. My prayers go out to the Bidve family. There is so much talent in this country, but so few opportunities. Provide these and kids can serve their country without going elsewhere.
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