- Habibur Masum, 25, will appear at Bradford Magistrates Court on Thursday
A man accused of stabbing a mother to death while she pushed her baby in a pram will appear in court today charged with her murder.
Habibur Masum, 25, has been charged over the death of Kulsuma Akter, 27, who was attacked in broad daylight on Saturday while pushing her five-month-old son in a buggy during a shopping trip in Bradford city centre.
Bangladeshi-born Masum, of Leamington Avenue, Burnley, has also been charged with possession of a bladed article, West Yorkshire Police said on Wednesday evening.
He has been remanded into custody to appear at Bradford Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
Habibur Masum, 25, (pictured) has been charged over the death of Kulsuma Akter, 27, who was attacked in broad daylight on Saturday
Bangladeshi-born Masum, of Leamington Avenue, Burnley, has also been charged with possession of a bladed article, West Yorkshire Police said on Wednesday evening
A 23-year-old man was 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 area, are currently in custody, the force added.
Ms Akter was taken to hospital after being stabbed several times in Westgate at the junction with Drewton Road at 3.20pm on Saturday. She later died from her injuries.
Police confirmed the baby is safe and was not harmed in the incident.
It is understood Masum is a master’s student at the University of Bedfordshire studying Digital Marketing
Officers were seen storming a housing association property in Burnley on Sunday and were seen on Monday carrying out a thorough search of the garden
West Yorkshire Police has referred itself to the Independent Office of Police Conduct after it was revealed officers had contact with Ms Akter before her death.
Shaun Sigamoney, district crown prosecutor for CPS Yorkshire and Humberside, said: ‘Prosecutors from CPS Yorkshire and Humberside’s complex casework unit authorised the charges following a review of a file 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 have a right to a fair trial.
‘It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.’
West Yorkshire PoliceASDA
