Agencies probe Hyderabad family of Bondi Beach shooter Sajid Akram

The family home of Sajid Akram in Hyderabad’s Toli Chowki drew intense media and police attention after he was identified as one of the perpetrators of the Bondi Beach mass shooting in Sydney. Telangana Police confirmed there were no adverse records against Sajid during his stay in India, and officials stressed that his radicalisation had no local links.

Hyderabad: In the Toli Chowki area of Hyderabad, the family house of Sajid Akram, one of the two attackers involved in Sunday’s mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Australia, suddenly became the centre of media attention on Tuesday as various state and Central agencies continued questioning his family members.

Officials from the special branch of Telangana Police and other units questioned the mother and brother of Sajid, who had migrated to Australia about 27 years ago.

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The family members told police that he had limited contact with the family after moving to Australia in 1998.

The house in Al-Hasnath Colony suddenly became a centre of attention as crew of several television channels descended there after police confirmed that Sajid Akram hailed from Hyderabad.

The mass shooting at Bondi Beach, Sydney, on December 14, by two perpetrators, during a public Hanukkah celebration, reportedly resulted in the deaths of 15 victims and one of the two attackers.

The attackers have been identified as Sajid Akram (50 years) and his son Naveed Akram (24 years).

According to police, Sajid Akram completed his B.Com degree in Hyderabad and migrated to Australia in search of employment in November 1998.

He subsequently married Venera Grosso, a European origin woman before settling permanently in Australia. They have one son, Naveed (one of the two attackers) and one daughter.

Sajid Akram carries an Indian passport, and his son, Naveed Akram and daughter were born in Australia and are Australian citizens.

Sajid Akram’s family members told police that he had limited contact with them. He visited India on six occasions after migrating to Australia, primarily for family-related reasons such as property matters and visits to his elderly parents.

He did not travel to India even at the time of his father’s demise in 2009.

The family members have expressed no knowledge of his radical mindset or activities, nor of the circumstances that led to his radicalisation.

Hyderabad Police have no adverse record against Sajid Akram during his stay in India prior to his departure in 1998.

The factors that led to the radicalisation of Sajid Akram and his son, Naveed, appear to have no connection with India or any local influence in Telangana, DGP Shivadhar Reddy said.

Sajid, who did B. Com from a college in Hyderabad, moved to Australia on a student visa. He was reported to be running a fruit business in Australia.

His father was employed in Saudi Arabia, and on his return to India, he had built a house.

Sajid reportedly had a dispute with his brother over the property. The family members had also distanced themselves after he married a Christian woman in Australia.

Sajid had last visited Hyderabad in 2022. During one of his visits, he is said to have explored the possibility of settling down here.