Bondi Beach Mass Shooter Linked to India—Telangana Police Confirms Sajid Akram is from Hyderabad

Key Points

Indian officials have confirmed that Sajid Akram, one of the two gunmen who carried out the Bondi Beach mass shooting on 14 December 2025, is from Hyderabad. The mass shooting – Australia’s deadliest in 30 years – resulted in at least 16 deaths, including one of the shooters. 

A press release published by Telangana Police on 16 November 2025 confirmed that Sajid migrated to Australia 27 years ago on a student visa. It added that there were no known links between his family in Hyderabad and his radical actions. The other shooter, Sajid’s son Naveed, is an Australian national.

Sajid Akram in India

According to the press note, Sajid’s father settled in Hyderabad after retiring from the UAE army in 1984. Sajid, now 50, lived in the city till November 1998, when he travelled to Australia on a student visa. He had completed his B. Com. Degree before emigrating.

Sajid travelled to India only six times since migrating, mostly for family-related matters. However, he had limited contact with family members in Hyderabad. Speaking to The Hindu, a government official said, “His father died in 2017; he did not even come to attend his last rites.”

Speaking to The News Minute, Sajid’s brother said that Sajid had not been in contact with his family for many years – the family had cut ties with him for marrying a Christian woman in Australia. He added that they were shocked by the news and that Sajid had not even enquired about his aged and ailing mother. According to reports, the brothers had also had a fallout over a property dispute.

Telangana Police further said that Sajid and his son’s radicalization “appear to have no connection with India or any local influence in Telangana.” Sajid also had no criminal record in India prior to his departure. He maintained his Indian passport.

See Also: Bondi Beach Attack: Deadly Mass Shooting Rocks Hanukkah Gathering of Jews at Sydney, 11 confirmed dead, both shooters neutralized

Sajid and Akram in Australia

Sajid emigrated to Australia in 1998 on a student visa. There he met Venera Grosso, whom he married. In 2001, their son Naveed was born and Sajid transferred to a partner visa. The couple had a daughter as well. Sajid lived in the suburbs of Australia’s capital, Sydney, where he ran a fruit shop. Naveed worked as a bricklayer.

Following the deadly massacre, Australian PM Anthony Albanese said that the shooting was driven by “Islamic State ideology.” He said that “radical perversion of Islam is absolutely a problem.”

Police investigation following the incident uncovered improvised explosives and two homemade ISIS flags in Naveed’s car. Authorities believe that the father-son duo “weren’t part of a wider cell,” but investigation into any links remains ongoing.

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) had previously investigated Naveed for possible links to terrorist groups. In 2019, he had been surveilled for six months after he was linked to two known criminals. The investigation concluded that Naveed had not been radicalised.

Sajid had also been interviewed as part of the investigation, but no flags were raised. Sajid was a registered gun owner, possessing six guns. Following the attack, Albanese issued a statement advocating for stricter gun laws.

Sajid and Akram in the Philippines

Authorities also revealed that the duo had travelled to the Philippines in November 2025. The purpose of the trip is unknown. The Philippines, however, is home to several Islamic extremist groups. ASIO called the country a hotspot for the Islamic State East Asia (ISEA), a derivative of ISIS. Several of these extremist groups have also been linked to Australians in the past. Police are probing whether the duo underwent radicalisation or any form of training during their visit.

Australian authorities are coordinating with both Indian and Philippine agencies. Further details are expected as investigations continue.

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