The family of Sajid Akram, one of the two gunmen involved in the deadly shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, had cut off all ties with him years ago after he married a Christian woman of European origin, police and media reports said on Tuesday.
Sajid Akram, who was shot dead by Australian police during the attack, originally belonged to Hyderabad. Telangana Police said he migrated to Australia in November 1998 after completing his B.Com degree and later married Verena Grosso. After the marriage, his relationship with his family in India weakened sharply.
According to police, Sajid’s relatives told investigators that they had very limited contact with him over the last 25 to 27 years. He reportedly visited India only six times after moving to Australia, mostly for property-related matters and to meet his elderly parents. He did not return to India even after his father’s death, which further showed the distance between him and his family.
A report by The News Minute quoted Sajid Akram’s brother, who lives in Hyderabad, as saying that the family had ended contact with him long ago. “Sajid left Hyderabad for Australia more than 25 years ago and later married a Christian, after which the family cut ties with him,” the brother said. He also stated that the family had not been in touch with Sajid for many years.
Telangana Police said the family members were shocked after learning about the attack and denied having any knowledge of Sajid’s alleged radical views or activities. “The family members have expressed no knowledge of his radical mindset or activities, nor of the circumstances that led to his radicalisation,” the police said in a statement. They also added that there was no adverse record against Sajid Akram before he left India in 1998.
Investigations have also focused on Sajid Akram’s recent travel abroad. The Philippines Bureau of Immigration confirmed that Sajid, an Indian national, travelled to the Philippines with his son Naveed Akram, an Australian national, on November 1, 2025, arriving from Sydney. The two returned later that month. Officials said the purpose of the visit is still under investigation.
Australian authorities have said that while Sajid travelled on an Indian passport, his son used an Australian passport. They have not yet confirmed whether the Philippines trip had any link to terrorist training or activities.
The Bondi Beach shooting killed 15 people, including women and children, before Sajid Akram was shot dead. His son Naveed Akram, the other accused gunman, remains in critical condition in hospital under police custody.
Telangana Police stressed that the factors behind the radicalisation of Sajid Akram and his son “appear to have no connection with India or any local influence in Telangana,” as investigations continue across several countries into the attack.
