HYDERABAD, India — Sajid Akram, one of the two gunmen involved in Sunday’s mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach that left 16 people dead, had only limited contact with his family in Hyderabad after migrating to Australia in 1998, Telangana police said Tuesday.
Telangana Director General of Police B. Shivdhar Reddy said there were no adverse records against Akram during his time in India prior to his departure more than two decades ago.
“The factors that led to the radicalization of Sajid Akram and his son appear to have no connection with India or any local influence in Telangana,” Reddy said in a statement, adding that state police would continue to cooperate with central and international agencies as required.
He also urged the public and media to avoid speculation or attribution without verified facts.
The shooting occurred during a public Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney. Authorities said 15 civilians and one of the two attackers were killed in the incident. The attackers were later identified as Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed Akram, 24.
According to officials, Australian authorities are investigating reports that the attackers may have been inspired by ISIS ideology.
Police said Sajid Akram was originally from Hyderabad, where he completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree before migrating to Australia in November 1998 in search of employment. He later married Venera Grosso, a woman of European origin, and settled permanently in Australia. The couple have two children — Naveed, who was involved in the attack, and a daughter.
Akram currently holds an Indian passport, while both his son and daughter were born in Australia and are Australian citizens, police said.
“As per information available from his relatives in India, Sajid Akram had limited contact with his family in Hyderabad over the past 27 years,” the police statement said. “He visited India on six occasions after migrating to Australia, primarily for family-related matters such as property issues and visits to his elderly parents. It is understood that he did not travel to India even at the time of his father’s demise.”
Family members in Hyderabad have told police they were unaware of any radical beliefs or activities linked to Akram and said they had no knowledge of the circumstances that may have led to his radicalization.
Australian authorities continue to investigate the attack and the background of the perpetrators. (Source: IANS)
