From Our Correspondent
Hyderabad: The Bondi Beach mass shooting in Sydney, which left 15 people dead during a Hanukkah celebration, has taken a new turn with Australian authorities confirming that one of the attackers, Sajid Akram (50), held an Indian passport issued in Hyderabad. The Telangana DGP’s office formally acknowledged that Sajid was originally from Hyderabad.
According to the DGP’s statement, Sajid completed his B.Com in Hyderabad and moved to Australia in 1998 on a student visa. He later married a European woman, Venera Grosso, and had two children—Naveed Akram and a daughter—both Australian citizens. Despite living abroad for decades, he continued to use his Indian passport, officials said.
Sajid maintained minimal contacts in Hyderabad over the years and visited India only six times, mostly for family or property matters. His relatives in Hyderabad told police he had no criminal history and claimed ignorance of any links he may have had with extremist outfits.
Australian authorities say Sajid and his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram, opened fire indiscriminately at Bondi Beach on Sunday during a Jewish community Hanukkah event. Police rushed to the spot and engaged the attackers, killing Sajid in the encounter and arresting Naveed. Preliminary intelligence suggests the duo may have been influenced by the Islamic State (ISIS).
The incident has shocked both Australia and India, with agencies in both countries probing the motives and possible international linkages of the attackers.