POLICE are appealing for information on the murder of mother of a mother of four who was strangled to death 20 years ago in Oxford.
The body of Nasreen Akhtar, 29, was found by two of her children as they returned home from primary school in March 1995.
Her husband Hakim Khan was initially charged with murder but acquitted at a trial.
Thames Valley Police said: "Those who found it difficult to talk to the police at the time may now be able to."
Akhtar was preparing breakfast for three of her children at their home in Cobden Crescent before they left for school. Her fourth child was visiting relatives in Pakistan.
She walked her children to St Ebbes School and, on her way home, at about 9.05am she visited a friend in Marlborough Road, Oxford. She stayed there for about 10 minutes before returning home. At about 10.25am a refuse collector went into the rear garden of her home to collect the dustbin and saw the back door open.
At about midday a woman who was visiting Akhtar, knocked on her front door but did not receive a reply.
At 3.05pm on the same day two of Akhtar’s children who were aged nine and eight, returned home to find their mother’s body in the living room.
An ambulance attended and Akhtar was declared deceased at the scene. A video recorder was missing from the living room however the rest of the house remained undisturbed.
A post mortem examination concluded the cause of death to be due to strangulation.
Akhtar's son, Imran Khan, who was ten at the time of the killing said it had "shattered" the family.
He said: "The killer has been allowed to continue with their life. They have remained unpunished for the horrific act they have committed and the effects of their actions have had on four young children is unacceptable."
Peter Beirne, head of Thames Valley Police’s Major Crime Investigation Review Team, said: “Today marks the twentieth anniversary of Mrs Akhtar’s death at her home in Oxford.
“Despite a thorough and professional investigation, the offence remains undetected.
“Nasreen’s death left four children without a mother, two of whom found her body in their family home, and her death took a young woman from all of her family and friends.
“We are now in the process of starting a review in to the case and today I ask that anyone who has any information about Nasreen’s murder to come forward. We are approaching this enquiry with an open mind.
“Allegiances may have changed and, with the passage of time, those who found it difficult to talk to the police at the time may now be able to do so.
“If you know something which could assist the investigation and could help to bring some closure to Nasreen’s family, please come forward now and speak to the police.”
If you have any information which could assist the investigation, contact the Major Crime Investigation Review Team via the 24-hour Thames Valley Police enquiry centre on 101.
If you do not want to speak directly to the police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
