Suspected Hyderabad link emerges in Sydney Bondi Beach shooting

A suspected Hyderabad connection has emerged in the Sydney Hanukkah mass shooting that killed 15 people. Australian authorities have declared it a terrorist attack, while Telangana Police say there is no evidence linking the accused’s radicalisation to India.

Hyderabad: In a significant development, a suspected Hyderabad connection has surfaced in the deadly mass shooting that took place during a public Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney on December 14, which left 15 people dead.

The Australian authorities have declared the incident a terrorist attack.

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Officials are said to have found that one of the accused, Sajid Akram (50), was originally from Hyderabad. He completed his B.Com in the city before migrating to Australia in November 1998 in search of employment.

Sajid later settled permanently in Australia after marrying Venera Grosso, a woman of European origin. He currently holds an Indian passport. His son, Naveed Akram (24), the second attacker, was born and raised in Australia and is an Australian citizen.

Investigators believe Sajid and Naveed were influenced by ISIS ideology. One of the two attackers was killed during the incident, while investigations into the wider network and radicalisation process are ongoing.

According to reports being attributed to relatives in Hyderabad, Sajid Akram had very limited contact with his family over the past 27 years. He reportedly visited India only a handful of times for personal reasons, such as property matters and to see elderly family members.

Meanwhile, a statement purportedly from Telangana Police has stated that Sajid Akram has no adverse or criminal record during his stay in Hyderabad prior to leaving India and stressed that there is no evidence linking the radicalisation of Sajid or his son to India or any local influence in Telangana.

Australian authorities are continuing their probe, while Indian agencies are maintaining coordination to assist with background verification and information sharing.