Hyderabad: Sajid Akram, one of the two terrorists who killed 15 people in a gruesome mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, recently, hailed from Hyderabad, the Telangana police said on Tuesday.

Director General of Police (DGP) B Shivadhar Reddy said in a statement that the attackers were identified as Sajid Akram (50) and his son Naveed Akram (24). Further investigation in this regard is being carried out by Australian investigators who described the attack as a terrorist act inspired by the Islamic State group. Sajid Akram was shot dead by the Australian police during the attack. The assailants targeted Jewish people during Hanukkah celebrations at the beach.

The DGP said that Sajid Akram is originally from Hyderabad. He completed his B Com degree in Hyderabad and migrated to Australia in search of employment, approximately 27 years ago, in November 1998. He subsequently married Venera Grosso, a European origin woman before settling permanently in Australia.

They have one son, Naveed (one of the two attackers) and one daughter. Akram carries an Indian passport as on date and his son Naveed and daughter were born in Australia and are Australian citizens.

As per information available from his relatives in India, Sajid Akram had limited contact with his family in Hyderabad over the past 27 years.

He 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.

His family members here expressed no knowledge of his radical mindset or activities, nor of the circumstances that led to his radicalization. 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. Meanwhile, the Telangana Police stated that the police have no adverse record against Sajid Akram during his stay in India prior to his departure in 1998.