Bondi Beach shooting: Attacker Sajid Akram had limited contact with family in Hyderabad

Hyderabad, Dec 16 (IANS) Sajid Akram, one of the two armed men involved in Sunday’s mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach that left 16 people dead, originally hails from Hyderabad but had limited contact with the family after migrating to Australia in 1998, police said on Tuesday.

Telangana Director General of Police B. Shivdhar Reddy said that the state police has no adverse record against 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, the DGP said in a statement.

He also stated that Telangana Police remain committed to cooperating with central agencies and other counterparts, as and when required.

The police chief urged the public and media to avoid speculation or attribution without verified facts.

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

The attackers have been identified as Sajid Akram, 50, and his son Naveed Akram, 24.

Reports indicate that they were inspired by ISIS ideology. Further investigation in this regard is being carried out by Australian authorities.

Sajid Akram is originally from Hyderabad. He completed his B.Com degree in Hyderabad and migrated to Australia in search of employment, approximately 27 years ago, 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, as on date, and his son Naveed and daughter were born in Australia and are Australian citizens, according to the statement by the DGP.

“As per information available from his relatives in India, Sajid Akram had limited contact with his family in Hyderabad over the past 27 years. 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. It is understood that he did not travel to India even at the time of his father’s demise,” the police statement said.

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

ms/vd