Indian agencies question Hyderabad family of Sajid Akram after Bondi Beach mass shooting in Australia. Police find no local radical links, confirming limited family contact and no adverse records during his stay in India.
The family residence of Sajid Akram in Hyderabad’s Toli Chowki area became the focus of intense official scrutiny and media attention on Tuesday as multiple state and Central agencies questioned his relatives following the deadly mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia.
Sajid Akram has been identified by Australian authorities as one of the two perpetrators involved in the December 14 attack during a public Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach. The incident resulted in the deaths of 15 people, including one of the attackers, and left several others injured, triggering widespread international concern and condemnation.
According to officials, teams from the Special Branch of the Telangana Police, along with other intelligence and security units, conducted extensive questioning of Sajid Akram’s mother and brother at their residence in Al-Hasnath Colony. The questioning focused on Akram’s background, travel history, family ties, and any possible signs of radicalisation prior to his departure from India nearly three decades ago.
Police officials confirmed that Sajid Akram migrated to Australia in November 1998 after completing a Bachelor of Commerce degree from a college in Hyderabad. He reportedly moved on a student visa and later settled permanently in Australia. Over the years, he is believed to have run a small fruit business and established a family life abroad.
Sajid Akram, now 50 years old, married Venera Grosso, a woman of European origin, in Australia. The couple has two children — a son, Naveed Akram (24), who was also involved in the attack, and a daughter. While Sajid Akram holds an Indian passport, both his children were born in Australia and are Australian citizens.
Family members told investigators that Sajid Akram had minimal contact with his relatives in Hyderabad after moving overseas. According to their statements, communication became increasingly infrequent over the years, and interactions were largely limited to essential family matters. They said Akram visited India only six times after migrating, mainly to attend to property-related issues or visit elderly family members.
Notably, family members revealed that Sajid Akram did not return to India even when his father passed away in 2009, further indicating the distance that had developed between him and his relatives. His last recorded visit to Hyderabad was in 2022, during which he reportedly explored the possibility of relocating back to India, though no concrete steps were taken.
Officials said that the Hyderabad Police have no adverse records or criminal cases linked to Sajid Akram during his stay in India prior to his departure in 1998. Senior officers emphasized that there was no indication of extremist leanings, criminal behavior, or ideological affiliations during his early years in Hyderabad.
Telangana Director General of Police Shivadhar Reddy stated that preliminary investigations suggest that the factors leading to the radicalisation of Sajid Akram and his son do not appear to have originated in India. “At this stage, there is no evidence to suggest any local influence or radical network in Telangana connected to this incident,” he said, adding that Indian agencies are cooperating closely with Australian authorities.
Sources within the investigation revealed that family tensions may have played a role in Sajid Akram’s estrangement from his relatives. He reportedly had a property dispute with his brother and had distanced himself further after marrying outside the family’s faith, which reportedly caused friction within the household. However, officials cautioned against drawing conclusions, stating that such disputes alone cannot explain acts of extreme violence.
The sudden identification of Sajid Akram as a Hyderabad native drew significant media attention to the otherwise quiet residential colony, with television crews gathering outside the family home following official confirmation of his origins. Police maintained a presence in the area to manage the situation and ensure the family’s safety amid the heightened attention.
Indian authorities stressed that the questioning of Akram’s relatives is part of standard international protocol following acts of terrorism or mass violence involving individuals of Indian origin abroad. Officials reiterated that the family is not under suspicion and is cooperating fully with investigators.
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As investigations continue across borders, security agencies are focusing on reconstructing the chain of events that led to the attack, including the role of online radicalisation, personal grievances, and possible external influences. The Bondi Beach shooting has once again raised concerns about lone-wolf attacks and second-generation radicalisation in diaspora communities, prompting renewed calls for enhanced international intelligence cooperation.
