An inquest was heard from a woman whose husband threw liquid on her before “setting her on fire” before she was discovered with terrible burns and died.
The day after the horrible event at her Bury, Greater Manchester, home on July 24, 2021, Nosheen Akhtar, 31, also known as Sarah Hussein, passed away at a hospital.
An inquest at Rochdale Coroner’s Court on Monday heard that as she raced onto East Street engulfed in flames, neighbors had attempted to assist her.
Amy Bradburn, a paramedic who cared for Ms. Akhtar, who was dubbed a “angel” by her family, said that Ms. Akhtar had informed her: “My husband, he did it.”
Waqas Mahmood, her husband, and two other men were detained; however, they were eventually freed without being charged, and police took no further action.
Ms. Bradburn said that previously, a coworker had told her that Ms. Akhtar had “poured gasoline on herself.” She said Ms. Akhtar had “severe burns” on her body and that the fire had horribly damaged her face.
Duncan Mayoh, a coworker of Ms. Bradburn’s, described Ms. Akhtar “screaming in pain for us to aid her.” He said that Ms. Akhtar claimed “her husband had poured liquid on her and lit her on fire” while in an ambulance on route to the hospital.
Despite receiving a large amount of morphine, Mr. Mayoh said that Ms. Akhtar did not seem ‘confused’ when she made the assertion.
Waqas Mahmood, Ms. Akhtar’s husband, was given first aid at the scene for several blister burns on his hand while Mrs. Akhtar was transported to Wythenshawe Hospital.
Mr. Mahmood seemed “worked up,” said to paramedic Dominic Wilson, who was attending to him, but was “cooperative.”
I enquired as to what had transpired, and Mr. Wilson replied: “He stated that his wife had doused herself in white spirit and set herself ablaze.
She entered the living room on fire, and he started putting out the flames with pillows, towels, and blankets before picking her up and carrying her outside.
Yet, according to CCTV evidence shown at the inquest, Ms. Akhtar was seen fleeing the burning building. Then Mr. Mahmood and his brother came after her. Hasnain Mahmood, who was observed with another person using the cushions to put out the flames.
Investigators attended the property and discovered two open bottles carrying an accelerant. A lighter was also discovered on the living room floor, it was said during Monday’s hearing.
Test results revealed the accelerant had likely been poured on Ms. Akhtar before the back of her tunic caught fire, according to Emma Wilson, a fire investigator who studied the incident.
In the living room, she said damage to a couch and a throw showed Ms. Akhtar was standing when her clothes was set on fire, then sat down for “a couple of seconds.”
The garment might have been lit on fire by either Ms. Akhtar or Mr. Mahmood, but Ms. Akhtar would have had to “stretch around” herself to do so, according to Ms. Wilson.
It would seem more plausible that the user would light it in a visible area, according to Ms. Wilson. It’s less probable that she would turn around and light it from behind.
After the incident, authorities detained Mr. Mahmood, his brother Hasnain Mahmood, and Waqas’ nephew Murtaz Safeer, who was there that evening.
A pre-inquest hearing heard last year that the three were freed without being charged and that no further action was taken against them.
Ms. Akhtar had “widespread burns to her body,” according to a post-mortem study, the inquest was told.
The cause of death was listed in a statement read out in court as “burns and inhalation of the products of fire” by pathologist Dr. Philip Lumb.
Ms. Akhtar, who was born and raised in Pakistan, had discussed marital issues with her family and medical specialists in the months before she passed away, the inquest was told.
Ms. Akhtar’s mother, Zaheera Bibi, said that Ms. Akhtar informed her that she and Mr. Mahmood often quarreled and that she was ‘fed up’ with Mr. Mahmood seeing his ex-wife.
She used to call and wail, according to Ms. Bibi. They were fighting and arguing all the time.
Ms. Bibi said that Ms. Akhtar began sobbing and “seemed apprehensive” about leaving Pakistan to visit relatives in 2020.
She wanted to make her marriage work and was willing to do whatever it took to keep it together, Ms. Bibi said.
According to the inquiry, Ms. Akhtar was overdosed and rushed to the hospital in February 2021. She explained to the medical staff that she had done so after Mr. Mahmood had threatened to abandon her after an altercation.
In an interview the following month, Ms. Akhtar said she had taken the overdose “out of exasperation,” and she blamed Mr. Mahmood of “neglecting and disregarding” her, according to Dr. Afzal Hussain, Ms. Akhtar’s doctor, who testified at the inquest.
The bulk of her problems, Dr. Hussain said, stemmed from the fact that her husband continued to visit his ex-wife and kids virtually everyday.
Ms. Bibi said that she often chatted on the phone with her daughter. She said that Ms. Akhtar seemed to be “in a pleasant mood” during their talk on the afternoon of July 23 and that she did not think Ms. Akhtar would have set herself on fire.
Ms. Akhtar’s relatives characterized her as “brave” and “good-natured” in a statement read out in court, but said that she “kept a lot from the family.”
Nosheen did not want to make her stress known to the family, according to the statement. She was quite pleasant. She used to care for us like a mother would.
She had a wonderful disposition and, when residing in the UK, tended to think about us all. She used to worry about other people and always wanted to help them.
The inquest is still going on; it’s supposed to last seven days.
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