Indian student shot dead in front of friends in Manchester - Telegraph.co.uk

The killer approached, engaged the victim in a "very short" conversation, and about a minute later pulled out a handgun and shot the student in the side of the head.

The victim collapsed to the ground as his killer ran off towards the Ordsall Estate, police said.

Officers would not reveal what was said but Chief Superintendent Kevin Mulligan, divisional commander for Salford, said: "This appears to be an unprovoked attack and we can't establish a motive at this time.

"We are investigating every possible aspect and we are in the early stages of the investigation but we are not ruling anything out."

The gunman was described as white, in his mid-20s, of slim build and wearing a grey top. The other man was of a heavier build and wearing a black jacket.

The area was sealed off for forensic examination and police are appealing to anyone with information to come forward.

The victim's parents, who are in India, have been informed.

Lancaster University said: "We can confirm that the man killed in Salford early this morning is a 23 year old Indian post graduate student , who was studying microelectronics.

"Our thoughts are with his family at this time, and counselling and support has been organised for his fellow students who are deeply upset".

Mr Mulligan said a team of experienced detectives were working alongside local uniformed officers to catch those responsible.

"I believe the answers to who did this will lie in our community," Mr Mulligan said.

"Someone will know who was responsible and I want to implore those people to be courageous.

"This young man was simply visiting Manchester with his friends and has been killed, and his family deserve to see those responsible brought to justice.

"Please, if you know something, then do what is right and come forward - anonymously if necessary.

"If it was your brother, son, husband or friend who was killed while visiting another city you would want justice, so please help us do the same.

The officer made a direct appeal for the killer and the accomplice to give themselves up, and said: "You need to surrender yourselves to the police as soon as possible.

"This was an awful attack which appeared to be unprovoked on a young student who was just going about his business. The sooner they hand themselves in the better."

The attack took place just a few hundred yards from a pub where there was a fatal shooting in September but Mr Mulligan said, at this stage, there was no connection between the two incidents.

Mr Mulligan said that over the past five years, GMP had achieved some dramatic reductions in the number of guns being fired and people being killed.

"Sadly, there are still people out there with access to guns and, as this tragic incident shows, it takes just a second for someone with a gun to deprive a family of a loved one."

Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.