A POLICE watchdog is examining whether the two forces - West Yorkshire police and Greater Manchester police (GMP) missed any opportunity to protect Kulsuma Akter before she was fatally stabbed in Bradford on April 6 while pushing a pram.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said the two forces were being investigated over contact they had with Akter in the weeks before her murder.
IOPC said West Yorkshire Police was on March 28 alerted about the death threats made against Akter. Officers had been deployed following the reported threats and a search was carried out, but no suspect was found, the watchdog added.
IOPC Regional Director Emily Barry said a thorough investigation will be done to understand the nature and extent of the police interaction with Akter.
"This will be carried out entirely independently of the police and will consider whether there may have been any missed opportunities to safeguard her in the days and weeks before she died," she said.
The watchdog said the evidence reviewed so far indicated information regarding death threats was shared with GMP.
IOPC will now examine what steps were taken to protect Akter and whether GMP made inquiries into any alleged breach of bail.
Habibur Masum, 25, from Burnley, is charged with murdering Akter. He was arrested in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, after a three-day manhunt.
Masum appeared at Bradford Crown Court on April 12 where a provisional trial date was set for November 18. He is also charged with possession of a bladed article.
After the hearing, he was remanded back into custody ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing on May 10.
Akter's mother, Monwara Begum, who stays in Bangladesh, told BBC that was "heartbroken" at her daughter's death. "She was my youngest daughter and I adored her greatly."
Akter was living in Oldham, Greater Manchester, after arriving in the UK from Bangladesh two years ago along with her husband.
The stabbing took place on April 6 near Westgate in the city centre at about 15:21 BST. The police took her to hospital but she died later. Her baby son was not harmed in the attack.
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During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Man pleads not guilty to murder of BBC presenter's family
A 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to charges of murdering the wife and two daughters of BBC sports commentator John Hunt in a crossbow and knife attack.
Kyle Clifford, who also faces charges of rape, appeared via video link at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday.
Clifford, arrested in July after a manhunt, is charged with three counts of murder, one count each of rape and false imprisonment, and two counts of possessing offensive weapons – a 10-inch knife and a crossbow.
During the hearing, Clifford denied all the charges except for the rape charge, which was added to the indictment at the session.
He is expected to enter a plea for that charge at a later date.
The victims were Carol Hunt, 61, wife of horseracing commentator John Hunt, and their daughters Louise, 25, and Hannah, 28.
An earlier hearing revealed that Louise had been found tied up and that both she and her sister had been shot with a crossbow, while their mother had been stabbed with a knife.
The fatal attack occurred at the family’s home in Bushey, a commuter town near Watford, northwest of London.
(With inputs from AFP)