In the aftermath of the December 14 terror attack in Sydney, Australia, the main suspect, Sajid Akram, has been revealed to have visited India six times. These visits were reportedly related to family property disputes that had been ongoing for years. According to Indian media, Telangana police stated that Akram, 50, had traveled to India six times over the past three decades, with most of the visits being to Hyderabad to resolve family property issues.
On Sunday, Akram was killed in a shootout with police on the Bondi Beach in Sydney, where at least 15 people lost their lives and his son, Naveed, was severely injured. However, two days later, Naveed regained consciousness. Further details have emerged about the suspects’ visit to the Philippines.
Telangana’s Director General of Police, B. Shivadhar, revealed that Akram was born in Hyderabad, but moved to Australia in 1998 for higher education and has been living there since then. The police stated that Akram had visited Hyderabad in 2000, 2004, 2009, 2012, 2016, and 2022, with one visit in 2006 being a month after his father’s death.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that the Sydney attack’s armed suspect, Naveed Akram, was not on any anti-terrorism watchlist. The police clarified that no direct contact was made with Telangana police by Australian authorities or any foreign agency, and local investigations were based on information received from central Indian agencies.
According to official sources, Sajid Akram’s family ties had been strained for years due to property disputes, and they had severed ties with him long ago. Despite living in Australia for nearly three decades, he maintained his Indian passport.
