What we know about Bradford ‘murder’ after pushchair mum stabbed to death

A man has appeared in court accused of murdering a mother who was stabbed to death while pushing her baby in a pram in a city centre.

Habibur Masum, 25, is accused of murdering Kulsuma Akter, who was attacked in Bradford, West Yorkshire on Saturday.

Masum, of Leamington Avenue, Burnley, is also charged with possession of a bladed article.

He appeared at Bradford Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, where he was remanded in custody after a six-minute hearing.

Akter, 27, died in hospital despite the best efforts of witnesses and doctors. Her child was unharmed.

What we know

West Yorkshire Police said Masum was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire – 170 miles away from where Ms Akter was stabbed. He had been the subject of calls to the police and a four-day manhunt.

A 23-year-old man arrested in the Cheshire area on Monday on suspicion of assisting an offender has been released on bail, West Yorkshire Police said. Four other men were arrested in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, on suspicion of assisting an offender and drug offences. The men, aged 23, 26, 28 and 29, from the West Midlands, are currently in custody, the force added.

Officers were called to the scene in the West Yorkshire town of Bradford at 3.21pm on Saturday. Ms Akter had been attacked and stabbed “multiple times” in the Westgate area of ​​the city centre.

Ms Akter was taken to hospital after being stabbed multiple times in Westgate, at the junction with Drewton Road, at 3.20pm on Saturday, April 6. She later died from her injuries.

The child is safe and was not injured in the incident, according to police.

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West Yorkshire Police approached the Independent Police Conduct Office because officers had contact with Ms Akter before her death, a force spokesman confirmed.

Shaun Sigamoney, District Crown Prosecutor for CPS Yorkshire and Humberside, said: “Prosecutors from CPS Yorkshire and the Humberside Complex Task Force authorized the charges following a review of a dossier of evidence from West Yorkshire Police.

“Our thoughts are with Kulsuma Akter’s family at this time. We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that they are entitled to a fair trial.

“It is extremely important that there are no reports, comments or exchanges of information online that could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”

Ms Akter’s brother Hossain said his family were “heartbroken and completely devastated”. He told MailOnline: ‘We can’t even talk and I’ve been crying all the time since this happened.

“We had to call our mother in Bangladesh to tell her the news. Can you imagine what that was like for us? I can’t believe my sister is dead.”

Ms Akter’s cousin, Aftab Miah, described her as “very caring and humble”. He told the BBC: “He had (a) good personality. He used to make people laugh. She was a wonderful lady.”

Bradford West MP Naz Shah visited the scene of the attack on Tuesday and said: “I’m here because of the shock and horror it sent through the constituency – the number of people I’ve spoken to really are. , very horrified by it. “I think it’s important to express that pain.”

After laying flowers, she added: “There is a problem in society when it comes to violence against women. It’s not just a West Yorkshire problem.

“A woman lost her life while pushing a baby in a pram in broad daylight and that ultimately we need services, we need more resources.

“But there’s a problem, there’s a culture that it’s okay to kill a woman, to hit a woman — that’s not okay.

“We lost a 27-year-old man here in broad daylight. It’s just not right. That’s what we have to focus on now.”