Police hunting for murder suspect Habibur Masum, 25, have conducted “a number of raids” in Burnley, Oldham, and Chester.

A young woman was stabbed “multiple times” as she pushed her baby in a pram in Bradford.

Kulsama Akter, 27, was stabbed to death in the Westgate area of Bradford city centre on Saturday afternoon.

Addressing a press conference on Monday afternoon, West Yorkshire Police Officer Assistant Chief Constable Damien Miller said: “On Saturday April 6, shortly before 3.20pm Kulsama Akter was walking in Bradford city centre.

“Kulsama was with her young baby at this time, and was walking along Westgate when she was attacked and stabbed multiple times.”

“The emergency services were called at 3:21pm. However, despite the best efforts of members of the public, ambulance crews, and hospital staff, Kulsama sadly lost her life due to the injuries.

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

Assistant Chief Constable Miller said: “There is significant resources conducting CCTV and house-to-house inquiries.

“And we also have local Bradford officers carrying out increased patrols in the area, which I hope will be of some reassurance to residents.

“With the support of other forces we’ve conducted a number of raids in the Burnley and Oldham and Chester areas in the search for Masum, and during the searches a 23-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and is now in police custody.”

He said suspect Masum, from Oldham, was last seen walking in the direction of a park having got off a bus.

“Masum is a slim Asian man and was last seen wearing a duffle coat with three large horizontal lines, grey tracksuit bottoms and maroon trainers,” he said.

“On Saturday he was captured on CCTV getting on a bus.

“He was last seen walking in the direction of Bradford Moor Park, this is our last confirmed sighting of him.”

Greater Manchester Police said it has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over previous contact with Kulsama Akter and suspect Masum.

Detective Superintendent Jude Holmes from GMP Oldham district said: “We share the shock and concern that our communities feel in the wake of this tragic incident, and our thoughts are with Kulsama Akter’s family at this truly distressing time.

“Habibur Masum is wanted by West Yorkshire Police on suspicion of murder. Due to his links to Greater Manchester, we have our specialist officers following several lines of enquiry to locate him. I urge members of the public to remain vigilant, and if you have any information on his whereabouts, call 999 as a matter of urgency.

“Due to previous police contact with Habibur Masum and Kulsama Akter, Greater Manchester Police has made a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.”