Plea to stop rumours after mum killed in Luton home

The mum, named locally as Saima Khan aged 34, was found by family members in the hall of her Overstone Road home late on Monday night.

Bedfordshire PCC Kathryn Holloway said: “The Chief Constable met community leaders in Luton today and I have spoken to mosque presidents to help stop rumours which only fuel fear.”

Neighbours claimed Mrs Khan suffered a stab wound to the neck.

Emergency services were called to Overstone Road at around 11.30pm on Monday to reports a woman had suffered serious injuries.

A nearby neighbour, Nousheen Dar, claims the woman had been stabbed in the neck and was surrounded by a pool of blood.

Mrs Dar, herself a mother-of-four, was woken up late after family members of the woman were in the road screaming out for help.

She said: “I remember I heard all this noise, I think it was her mum and sister screaming and crying in the street.

“I looked out the window for a few minutes and they were waiting for an ambulance so I woke my husband to see what was going on and if we could help.

“There were a number of neighbours in the street and as soon as we got outside the ambulance turned up.

“I didn’t really know what was going on at the time and the paramedics asked us to move away.

“But I did see that she was on the floor in the doorway and there was a lot of blood around her.

“It was horrible and I don’t know why it has happened. It seems so random. At the time everyone was just in shock.

At the time everyone was just in shock.

“Her sister was going mad asking for the paramedics to help her, but they said they couldn’t do anything and they had to leave her how she was as it was a crime scene.

Mrs Khan and her taxi driver husband Hafiz have young children with ages ranging from one to seven-years-old.

Mrs Dar, 34, added: “As soon as we got outside I could see her husband and her father driving back in their car and just after them the ambulance arrived also.”

Neighbours claim the woman lives with her husband, siblings and parents in their semi-detached property.

Mrs Dar said the family are lovely and caring and she has known them for around seven years.

She added: “I am close with the family because we have been neighbours for a while.

“They are a very caring family and are just lovely people, her husband is lovely too.

“It is very scary when something like this happens so close to home. I am very scared.

Her husband Iram, 48, added: “The family are very caring people and they are always playing with their children.

“My wife is very scared and I am very scared now. I do not understand why this has happened.”

Bedfordshire Police confirmed they were treating the incident as suspicious.

DCI Adam Gallop appealed for witnesses, particularly from the local Muslim community, to come forward if they have an information.

A spokeswoman for Beds police said: “The area remains cordoned off to allow further enquiries to take place.

“Anyone with any information about the incident is asked to call the Major Crime Unit on 101.”