Sajid Akram moved to Australia in 1998 after completing his B.Com degree and later married Venera Grosso, a Christian woman of European origin
In the aftermath of the Bondi Beach shooting in Sydney, which left at least 15 people dead and many more injured, new details have emerged about one of the gunmen’s background and family life.
Sajid Akram (50), one of the two men involved in the terror attack, originally hailed from Hyderabad in India, and his family in India had severed ties with him years ago, according to Indian Police.
The family’s estrangement was linked to his marriage. Sajid moved to Australia in 1998 after completing his B.Com degree and later married Venera Grosso, a Christian woman of European origin.
A report by The News Minute cited Sajid Akram’s brother from Hyderabad, stating that the family severed ties with Sajid following his marriage.
The brother, who did not wish to be named, added that Sajid had moved away from Hyderabad over 25 years ago, and the family hadn’t been in contact with him for many years.
“…Sajid had left Hyderabad for Australia more than 25 years ago and later married a Christian, after which the family cut ties with him,” the brother told The News Minute.
What was Sajid Akram’s background?
Telangana Police provided more information, saying Sajid had settled permanently in Australia, where he lived with his wife and children. He held an Indian passport, while his son Naveed Akram, who was with him during the attack, and his daughter were Australian citizens.
Officials have also stressed that there is no evidence linking the shooting to India or to any local influence in Telangana. Indian police stated that they found no record of radical behaviour or criminal activity from Sajid before he left India in the 1990s.
“The family members have expressed no knowledge of his radical mindset or activities,” authorities said, adding that the factors that led to his and his son’s radicalisation appear unrelated to India.
The Bondi Beach attack, which took place during a Hanukkah celebration, has been classified by Australian authorities as a terrorist act inspired by extremist ideology.
Video footage captured Ahmed al Ahmed confronting and disarming an armed attacker at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, in an attack that killed 15 people and what authorities called Australia’s worst mass shooting in decades https://t.co/lIqithS9ac pic.twitter.com/6pe8TNVOiO
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 16, 2025
Sajid was killed at the scene during a
confrontation with police, while his son Naveed was shot and is currently hospitalised under guard. Investigations are ongoing to piece together the motives and any possible training or influences.
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