Wife Dead, Baby Rolling Away, Husband in Court

Kulsuma Akter was walking her baby down a city sidewalk when her past caught up with her. By the time bystanders reacted, Akter had collapsed in a pool of blood, her child’s pram rolling away from the scene. What led to that moment, and what happened in the days that followed, are now at the center of a murder trial unfolding in West Yorkshire. The details are chilling, the questions pressing. Here’s what we know.

The Victim Tried to Flee - But He Found Her

Kulsuma Akter, 27, had been living in a women’s refuge with her baby. She left her home in Oldham to escape what prosecutors say was escalating abuse by her husband, 26-year-old Habibur Masum. The two had been married for about 18 months, and during that time, according to the prosecution, Masum had stalked, threatened, and assaulted her repeatedly - even while she was holding their infant son.

In one disturbing 2023 incident, Masum allegedly held a knife to Akter’s throat. She told a social worker she believed her husband would eventually kill her.

April 6, 2024: A Calculated Attack

On that afternoon in Bradford, Akter was pushing a pram with her 7-month-old son and walking with a friend.

She did not expect to see Masum. She believed he was in Spain.

But according to evidence presented in court, Masum had been in town for days. According to the BBC, he had allegedly sent her a video from a local transport hub with a chilling message that he had “come to her town.”

He also reportedly messaged her a photo of the refuge where she was staying with the words, “I know that you are living in this place,” according to the BBC.

At 3 p.m., CCTV captured Masum approaching her, turning her toward him, and pulling a knife from his coat. The footage showed what prosecutors described as “a ferocious and ultimately deadly attack,” according to the BBC.

Akter fell to the ground as the pram rolled away. Masum, prosecutors say, continued stabbing her - even kicking her before fleeing the scene.

Akter later died at Bradford Royal Infirmary from injuries to her neck and body, including a severed jugular vein.

What Happened Next: A 3-Day Manhunt

After the attack, Masum went dark. Prosecutors say he put his phone on airplane mode and boarded a bus. His trail went cold until three days later, when police found him at a hospital in Buckinghamshire. He had changed his appearance, shaved his beard, and was seeking treatment for lockjaw. At the time, BBC News coverage of the attack was playing in the hospital waiting room.

The Trial: Murder or Manslaughter?

Masum has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and possession of a bladed weapon but denies murder. His defense argues that he lost control. The prosecution isn’t buying it. According to the BBC, the jury heard that the attack was “cold blooded, calculated, premeditated murder.”

The prosecution says Masum knew exactly what he was doing, pointing to his efforts to disguise himself, turn off tracking, and flee the area afterward.

Masum was already under court-ordered bail conditions not to contact his wife, stemming from previous charges of assault and making threats to kill. He allegedly violated those orders not just with threats but by impersonating a doctor to lure her out of the refuge using a fake medical appointment.

Where the Case Stands

As the trial continues, the jury is weighing not just whether Masum killed Akter but whether he planned it. His defense hinges on diminished responsibility. But the facts the prosecution has laid out - the stalking, the threats, the knife in his coat - paint a darker picture.

For now, one thing remains certain: a young mother is dead.

References: Man killed wife in stabbing attack as she walked baby in Bradford, court told | Mother killed in ‘ferocious’ attack, trial told | Husband killed wife after tracking her to refuge, court told