Bondi Beach Shooting: Gunman with Indian Roots Identified

Sat Dec 20 2025 12:16:39 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Authorities reveal that Sajid Akram, one of the suspects in the tragic Bondi Beach mass shooting, originated from Hyderabad, India. His limited ties to his home country raise questions about the factors leading to the violent incident during a Hanukkah celebration.

Sajid Akram, a 50-year-old originally from Hyderabad, India, was one of the perpetrators behind the mass shooting at Bondi Beach. Investigations highlight his limited contact with family in India, raising questions on his radicalization. Akram and his son Naveed are suspected of killing 15 people during a Hanukkah event. Reports suggest Naveed had previous ties to an IS terrorism cell, and both traveled to the Philippines shortly before the attack.

One of the two men suspected of carrying out a mass shooting at Bondi Beach was originally from southern India but had limited contact with his family there, police sources have said.

Sajid Akram, who died at the scene in Sydney on Sunday, was originally from the city of Hyderabad, a police official from the Indian state of Telangana said.

He had travelled to India just six times since moving to Australia in 1998 and his family expressed no knowledge of his radical mindset or activities, the official added.

Sajid, 50, and his 24-year-old son Naveed are suspected of killing 15 people and injuring dozens more at an event celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah on Sunday.

Hyderabad, where Sajid Akram's family is based, is the capital of Telangana state in southern India. The Telangana police official told BBC Telugu Sajid had visited India on six occasions after migrating to Australia, primarily for family-related reasons such as property matters and visits to his elderly parents.

It is understood that he did not travel to India even at the time of his father's demise, the official stated.

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 official also mentioned that Sajid Akram had no criminal record in India, he had completed a degree and had moved to Australia in search of employment before marrying a woman of European origin.

Sajid Akram was an Indian passport holder, but his children were born in Australia and are Australian citizens, the official added.

Police are currently investigating why the father and son travelled to the Philippines in the weeks leading up to the attack. They arrived on 1 November and left on 28 November, the country's immigration bureau confirmed to the BBC.

Citing security sources, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) stated that the pair travelled to the island nation to receive military-style training, but officials have not been able to confirm those reports.

It has also been reported that Naveed Akram was previously investigated over ties to a Sydney-based IS terrorism cell. The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese noted that Naveed first came to the attention of authorities in 2019, although it was assessed that there was no ongoing threat at that time.

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