Bondi Beach gunman visited Hyderabad six times since 2000: Telangana DGP

Hyderabad: One of the gunmen involved in the Bondi Beach massacre in Australia, Sajid Akram, had visited Hyderabad six times between 2000 and 2022, Telangana DGP B Shivadhar Reddy said on Friday.

According to the DGP, Akram first travelled to Australia in 1998 in search of better prospects and subsequently visited Hyderabad in 2000, 2004, 2009, 2012, 2016, and most recently in 2022. His extended family continues to live in Al-Hasnath Colony in the Tolichowki area of Hyderabad.

Reddy said the state police verified Akram’s antecedents only after learning that he held an Indian passport. “Once it was established that the suspect had Indian nationality, we verified his travel and background details,” he said.

Providing further details during a press conference wile answering a question, the police chief said Akram had visited India in June 2012 and again in 2016 to settle property-related matters. His most recent visit in 2022 was to see his mother and sister. In 2009, following his father’s death, he travelled to Hyderabad but did not attend the funeral. His first visit after moving to Australia was in 2000, when he came to meet his family accompanied by his just wedded European wife.

He clarified that although Akram has familial roots in Hyderabad, the Bondi Beach attack has no connection whatsoever to any activities or individuals in the city.