Highlights:
Indian police said on Tuesday (16) that Sajid Akram, one of the two gunmen behind the deadly Bondi beach mass shooting in Australia, was an Indian citizen who left the country three decades ago. Authorities stressed that Akram had no known criminal or extremist background while living in India.
According to a statement from police in India's southern state of Telangana, Sajid Akram was originally from Hyderabad. He migrated to Australia in November 1998, about 27 years ago, mainly in search of work. Since then, his contact with family members in India has been limited.
The statement said Akram visited India six times after moving to Australia. These visits were largely related to family matters, including property issues and meeting his elderly parents. Police noted that he did not return to India even after his father passed away, suggesting weakened family ties over the years.
Akram and his son, Naveed, opened fire on people gathered at Bondi Beach on Sunday during celebrations of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. The attack killed 15 people and injured several others, making it one of the deadliest mass shootings in Australia’s history.
Australian authorities said Naveed Akram is listed as an Australian citizen in immigration records. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that both attackers were motivated by Islamic State ideology and that the attack was intended to spread fear among Australia’s Jewish community.
Telangana police said they found “no adverse record” against Sajid Akram during his time in India before he migrated. Family members in Hyderabad told investigators they were unaware of any radical beliefs or extremist activities linked to him.
“The family members have expressed no knowledge of his radical mindset or activities, nor of the circumstances that led to his radicalization,” the police statement said.
Indian authorities also emphasized that there was no evidence connecting Akram’s radicalization to India or to any local influence in Telangana. “The factors that led to the radicalization of Sajid Akram and his son appear to have no connection with India,” the statement added.
Officials in India said they are cooperating with Australian authorities as part of the investigation. The case has renewed discussions on online extremism, lone-wolf radicalization, and the challenges of tracking ideological threats across borders.
Both countries continue to examine how the attackers were influenced and whether warning signs were missed before the deadly assault.
