Bondi Beach Shooting Suspect Identified as Hyderabad Native; Telangana Police Rule Out Local Links.
Hyderabad:
Telangana Police on Tuesday confirmed that Sajid Akram, one of the suspects killed in the recent mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, was originally a native of Hyderabad. The clarification comes amid widespread international attention following the deadly attack that claimed the lives of 15 people during a Hanukkah celebration.
According to an official statement issued by the office of the Director General of Police (DGP), Telangana, Sajid Akram, aged 50, migrated to Australia nearly 27 years ago in November 1998 in search of employment. Despite having lived in Australia for decades, he continued to hold an Indian passport. Akram had limited contact with his family members in Hyderabad after his migration, the police said.
The DGP’s office stated that Akram completed his Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) degree in Hyderabad before leaving India. After settling in Australia, he married a woman of European origin and made Australia his permanent residence. The couple had two children—a son, Naveed, and a daughter—both of whom were born in Australia and are Australian citizens. Naveed, aged 24, has also been identified by Australian authorities as one of the two suspects involved in the attack.
Australian federal police have described the incident as a “terrorist attack inspired by the Islamic State.” Authorities there confirmed that the suspects were a father-son duo. Sajid Akram was shot dead during the police operation, while his son Naveed sustained injuries and is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Australia.
Telangana Police further revealed that Akram had visited India on six occasions since migrating, mainly for family-related matters such as property issues and to meet his elderly parents. Notably, he did not return to India even at the time of his father’s death. Family members, during interactions with the police, expressed shock over the incident and stated that they were unaware of any radical ideology, extremist activities, or behavioural changes that could have indicated radicalisation.
“The factors that led to the radicalisation of Sajid Akram and his son appear to have no connection with India or any local influence in Telangana,” the police statement emphasized. Authorities also clarified that there are no adverse records or criminal cases registered against Sajid Akram during his stay in India prior to his departure in 1998.
Telangana Police reiterated their commitment to cooperating fully with central agencies and international counterparts as required in the investigation. They also appealed to the public and the media to avoid speculation or unverified attribution regarding the case, stressing the importance of relying only on confirmed facts.
The Bondi Beach shooting has sent shockwaves across Australia and beyond, prompting heightened security measures and renewed discussions on counter-terrorism and radicalisation. Investigations by Australian authorities are ongoing to determine the full extent of the attack and the motivations behind it.
