Man Arrested in Connection with Fatal Stabbing of Kulsuma Akter in Bradford

Police investigating the death of Kulsuma Akter have arrested a 25-year-old man on suspicion of her murder. The man, from Oldham, was arrested in the early hours of this morning (Tuesday 9 April) in the Aylesbury area. Members of the public and the media are thanked for widely sharing appeals for information in relation to Kulsuma’s death.

The 27-year-old, from Oldham, died after being stabbed on Westgate in Bradford at the junction with Drewton Road at 3:21pm on Saturday (6 April). Kulsuma was taken to hospital but subsequently died from her injuries. Her family are being supported by specially trained officers.

She was with her young baby at the time of the incident – the baby is safe and was not harmed in the incident. Due to police having contact with Kulsuma prior to her death, West Yorkshire Police has referred itself to the Independent Office of Police Conduct. It was also confirmed yesterday afternoon that a 23-year-old man has been arrested in Cheshire on suspicion of assisting an offender and he remains in police custody.

Det Ch Insp Stacey Atkinson, of West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Enquiry Team, said: “This is a tragic incident in which a mother has lost her life in the most horrific of circumstances. We understand that this has caused a considerable amount of concern in the local community. Local Neighbourhood Policing teams are patrolling the area conducting reassurance to the community. We would like to thank Thames Valley Police for their support and assistance in this matter.”

If anyone has any information that could assist the investigation, they can report it via Live Chat online or by calling 101, quoting log 1071 of 6 April. Information can also be given to the Anyone wishing to provide information anonymously can do so by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

A man suspected of fatally stabbing a woman as she pushed her baby in a pram on a Bradford street has been arrested. Habibur Masum was detained early on Tuesday morning following the death of 27-year-old Kulsuma Akter on Saturday. Detectives said they had arrested a 25-year-old man in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. The arrest followed a nationwide manhunt for Mr Masum, after Ms Akter’s death in the city center attack. Her baby was unharmed.

Det Ch Insp Stacey Atkinson, of West Yorkshire Police, said the arrest followed a “tragic incident in which a mother has lost her life in the most horrific of circumstances”. “We understand that this has caused a considerable amount of concern in the local community,” she added. Ms Akter was attacked at about 15:20 BST on Saturday as she pushed her baby in the pram along Westgate in Bradford city center. Emergency services were called, but Ms Akter was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later. On Monday, both Greater Manchester Police and the West Yorkshire force said they had referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) as they had previous contact with the victim.

Mr Masum was bailed by magistrates in November after being charged with assaulting and threatening to kill Ms Akter, offenses which he had denied. Court documents show Mr Masum, who is from Oldham, was charged with threatening to kill Ms Akter on 24 November and assaulting her on 23 November. Both offenses were alleged to have happened in Manchester. Police said on Monday they had also arrested a 23-year-old man in Cheshire on suspicion of assisting an offender. He remained in custody, a spokesperson confirmed.

Churches and mosques across Bradford have been opened to allow people to grieve and pray, the assistant curate of Bradford Cathedral said on Monday. In February, Newsnight revealed that nine women had died since 2019 after having previously reported domestic abuse to West Yorkshire. Updated figures broadcast by Newsnight on Monday, obtained through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, indicated that 18 women had died since 2018, following contact with West Yorkshire Police over domestic abuse-related matters. In response, West Yorkshire Police said that it had delivered additional training to officers on dealing with domestic abuse. Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Send your story ideas to www.bbc.co.uk/yorkshire.