Bidve student murder: Kiaran Stapleton due in court

A 20-year-old man is due in court later accused of the murder of a student who was shot in the head on Boxing Day.

Anuj Bidve was studying at Lancaster University and had been visiting friends when he was killed in Salford.

Kiaran Stapleton, from Ordsall in Salford, will appear at City of Manchester Magistrates' Court later.

Two senior officers from Greater Manchester Police flew out to India on Sunday to meet the family of the 23-year-old micro-electronics student.

Announcing the decision to charge Mr Stapleton with murder, Nazir Afzal, chief CPS prosecutor for the North West, told a news conference on Sunday there was "sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction".

Assistant Chief Constable Dawn Copley, who has overall command of the inquiry, told a news conference: "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 £50,000 reward outstanding."

Chief Prosecutor Nazir Afzal: "There is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction"

Mr Bidve's father, Subhash, has criticised British and Indian authorities after disclosing that he learnt of his son's death on Facebook.

Ms Copley said the family had been "made aware that we have charged someone in relation to Anuj's murder".

She added: "We know that the family are 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."

Mr Bidve, from Pune, Maharashtra, was shot at close range by a gunman in the Ordsall district of Salford in the early hours of Boxing Day.

Hundreds of people are expected to attend a candlelit vigil for Mr Bidve which is scheduled to take place at 18:00 GMT in Ordsall Lane, Salford.

His family described him as a "loving son, a super-caring brother and first and forever a friend for many".

Five people have so far been arrested by police in connection with the inquiry.

On Saturday, a 19-year-old man was bailed until late March, while three others, a 16-year-old boy and two 17-year-old boys, have also been released on bail pending inquiries.