A 26-year-old man from North West England has been found guilty of murdering his wife while she was pushing their baby in a stroller. Habibur Rahman Masum was convicted on June 27 at Bradford Crown Court, facing charges of murder, assault, making threats to kill, and stalking.
The Tragic Incident
On April 6, Kulsuma Akter, 25, was out shopping in Bradford, pushing her seven-month-old son in a stroller when Masum confronted her on the street. Akter had been living in a safe house at the time after Masum had sent her threatening messages, telling her he would kill her. Authorities revealed that Masum also sent photos and videos to Akter, showing that he knew her whereabouts.
As Akter attempted to walk away from the abusive relationship, she told Masum that she no longer wished to remain married to him. In response, Masum stabbed her more than 25 times with a kitchen knife, fatally injuring her. Despite the violent attack, Akter’s son was unharmed in the stroller.
Masum’s Actions After the Attack
Stephen Wood KC, a prosecutor, revealed during the trial that after fleeing the scene, Masum boarded a bus with a smile on his face, showing no distress or remorse. “There were no tears, there was no distress. Perhaps, members of the jury, the smile you can clearly see from him as he gets on that bus is a result of him thinking at that point he’s getting away. The smiling killer,” Wood said.
Masum’s Arrest and Investigation
After committing the murder, Masum fled the scene and was found three days later, approximately 175 miles south of Bradford. He attempted to escape justice, but West Yorkshire Police tracked him down.
Stacey Atkinson, a senior detective from West Yorkshire Police, expressed the shock of the crime, stating, “Masum carried out the murder then calmly walked away as if nothing had happened. He left the scene and made his way out of the city to try and escape justice.”
Police confirmed that Akter died from the stab wounds to her neck at a local hospital.
A Devastating Loss for the Family
Kulsuma Akter’s family has been left heartbroken by her death. Stacey Atkinson said, “Kulsuma’s family have been left absolutely devastated by her death. I hope today’s conviction will bring them a sense of justice in knowing that the man responsible for her death has been found guilty.”
