Bradford stabbing: Man arrested on suspicion of assisting offender - as victim named by police

A man has been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender following the fatal stabbing of a woman pushing her baby in a pram in Bradford.

West Yorkshire Police said a 23-year-old man had been arrested as part of their search for Habibur Masum, who is wanted on suspicion of murder.

It comes as officers named the victim as 27-year-old Kulsama Akter, who was attacked in the Westgate area of Bradford city centre on Saturday afternoon.

Assistant Chief Constable Damien Miller said: "Despite the best efforts of members of the public, ambulance crews and hospital staff, Kulsuma sadly lost her life due to the injuries.

"Her baby is safe and well and was not harmed in this incident."

Officers searching for Masum said they had carried out "a number of raids" in Burnley, Oldham, and Chester as part of the investigation.

Image: Habibur Masum, who is wanted by West Yorkshire Police on suspicion of murder. Pic: West Yorkshire Police

They said that the force had also referred itself to the police watchdog - the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) - as it had previous contact with the victim.

West Yorkshire Police said the suspect and Ms Akter were known to each other.

He was also known to Greater Manchester Police prior to the investigation.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 0:49 Police search home in Bradford murder case

The 25-year-old from the Oldham area has links to Burnley and Chester.

He is described as an Asian man, of slim build, and was last seen wearing a duffle coat with three large horizontal lines, grey tracksuit bottoms and maroon trainers.

A witness also told West Yorkshire Police they saw him wearing a grey hoodie with the hood up.

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Officers said Masum was seen on CCTV getting on a bus on Market Street in Bradford at 3.30pm on Saturday.

The last confirmed sighting of the suspect was when he exited the bus at 3.42pm on Killingholme Road and walked in the direction of Bradford Moorpark.

Mr Miller added: "I believe him to still be in the country at this moment in time."

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Greater Manchester Police's Detective Superintendent Jude Holmes added in a statement that "due to previous police contact with Habibur Masum and Kulsama Akter," the force has made a referral to the IOPC.