Bondi shooter Sajid Akram from Hyderabad, had limited family ties, never returned after father’s death

Sajid and Naveed Akram opened fire on a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach on December 14, injuring at least 42 others.

Sajid Akram, the 50-year-old who carried out Sunday’s mass shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, killing 15 people during a Hanukkah celebration, is an Indian national from Telangana, the state police said on Tuesday. The police added that Akram had limited contact with his family in India and did not come back to the country, even after his father’s death.

Originally from Hyderabad, Sajid had completed a Bachelor of Commerce before migrating to Australia in November 1998, initially on a student visa. Despite holding an Indian passport, he had visited Hyderabad only six times over the past 27 years, mainly for property matters and to see his elderly parents. He did not attend his father’s funeral in 2017.

According to the Telangana police, his ties with his extended family in Hyderabad had long since broken down over disputes.

After migrating, Sajid married Venera Grosso, a European woman, and settled permanently in Australia. The couple had two children, Naveed, 24, and a daughter, both Australian citizens.

The police further noted that his family in India did not know about his radicalisation or involvement in extremist activities.

“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 police statement added.

Sajid and Naveed Akram opened fire on a Hanukkah event at Bondi Beach on December 14, injuring at least 42 others. Sajid was killed by police at the scene, while Naveed, who had been in a coma, regained consciousness on Wednesday and is expected to be questioned once medically cleared.

As per investigating officials, the duo had recently travelled to the southern Philippines, a region with a history of Islamist militancy, indicating possible Islamic State-inspired motives.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the attack as a targeted terrorist act.

The Bondi community began mourning the victims on Wednesday, with the first funeral held for Rabbi Eli Schlanger, a father of five and assistant rabbi at Chabad Bondi Synagogue. Police and security teams maintained a strong presence at the ceremonies amid concerns over extremism and rising antisemitism in Australia.

Sajid’s son, Naveed, had previously come under investigation by Australian intelligence in 2019 over alleged ISIS links but was not considered a threat at the time.