* Kiaran Stapleton, 20, from Salford, is charged with murder
* Anuj Bidve was shot dead at point-blank range on Boxing Day
The man accused of gunning down Indian student Anuj Bidve on Boxing Day gave his name as 'Psycho Stapleton' when he appeared in court today charged with murder.
Kiaran Stapleton, 20, from Ordsall, Salford, was remanded in custody for 24 hours at City of Manchester Magistrates' Court.
A scrum of TV cameramen and photographers crowded the prison van carrying Stapleton as it arrived at court, while inside the courtroom was packed with reporters.
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Anuj Bidve, 23, was shot at close range in the Ordsall district of Salford, Greater Manchester on Boxing Day
Shortly before the hearing began, four armed officers dressed in black stood in each corner of the court.
Wearing handcuffs, Stapleton was brought into the dock and asked for his name.
He replied: 'Psycho. Psycho Stapleton.'
The defendant, wearing a grey Nike T-shirt and grey jogging bottoms and flanked by two police officers, then confirmed his date of birth.
Ben Southam, prosecuting, said: 'He appears charged with murder. That’s a matter that can only be dealt with at the crown court by a judge under section 115 of the Coroners and Justices Act.'
He added: 'He will be sent to Manchester Crown Court in due course.
'Bail can only be considered by a crown court judge. As far as bail is concerned that’s opposed by the Crown.'
There was no application for bail.
Mr Bidve, 23 was shot once in the head after being approached by a lone gunman at around 1.30am on December 26. He died a short time later in hospital.
He was with a group of fellow Indian students visiting Manchester for Christmas when he was shot dead.
The apparently motiveless killing generated national and international shock, especially in the victim’s home country.
The court appearance comes after two officers from Greater Manchester Police flew out to India to meet Mr Bidve's family.
His father, Subhash Bidve, has been critical of the way the British and Indian authorities have handled the case. He found out about his son's death on Facebook at home in Pune, India, before police in the UK could contact him.
A total of five people have been arrested by police hunting the killer. A 19-year-old man was bailed until the end of March. Three others, a 16-year-old boy and two 17-year-old boys, were also released on bail pending further inquiries.
Senior officers described the shooting of Mr Bidve as 'horrific' and a £50,000 reward was put up by police to help catch the killer.
The victim was in a group of nine male and female Indian students visiting Manchester for a short break over Christmas.
He was killed at around 1.30am on Boxing Day as they walked from their hotel through the inner-city Ordsall district, heading for Manchester city centre.
The gunman was thought to have walked across the road and allegedly engaged the victim in a short conversation before shooting him at close range in the side of the head. Mr Bidve died in hospital a short time later.
Police say they are treating the murder as a 'hate crime' which may have been racially motivated.
According to a Facebook page set up in Mr Bidve's memory, he 'was killed for not answering a simple question - 'What's the time?''
Police have not yet disclosed what was said between the killer and his victim.
Mr Bidve was studying for a micro-electronics postgraduate qualification at Lancaster University and was described by tutors as 'an outstanding applicant at the very beginning of a promising career'.
Described as 'clever and sporty', he arrived in the UK in September after completing an electronics degree at Pune University.
Throughout the week, locals left tributes to Mr Bidve at the scene in Ordsall, an area known for high crime levels.
The killing has disgusted members of the community in the tough inner-city suburb, which has found itself the subject of worldwide condemnation on news and social networking sites.
A note addressed to Mr Bidve and attached to a small bouquet of flowers said: ‘Evil and mindless people took your life away for nothing.
‘We are local residents who are so saddened and sickened at this senseless act. We don’t think living here will ever be the same.’
Alert: An armed officer stands guard as a convoy of vehicles carrying Stapleton arrives at the City of Manchester Magistrates court today
Convoy: A line of police vehicles delivered Stapleton to court for the preliminary hearing
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