New Gaps Emerge in Bondi Attacker’s India Timeline, Raising Fresh Investigative Questions

An ongoing investigation into the background of Sajid Akram, the 50‑year‑old gunman behind the Bondi Beach terrorist attack, has uncovered significant, previously unknown gaps in his early life in India. These findings have prompted renewed scrutiny of his activities prior to his migration to Australia in 1998.

Key Findings

📌 Earlier Graduation Reveals a Two‑Year Gap

Records from Anwarul Uloom College in Hyderabad show that Akram completed his commerce degree in 1996, not 1998 as widely believed.
This correction exposes two unaccounted years in his timeline before he left India for Australia in November 1998.
College officials stated they had no personal recollection of Akram due to the institution’s large student population.

📌 Limited Family Contact & Interfaith Rift

Akram’s family in Hyderabad told police they had “limited contact” with him after he moved abroad and were unaware of any radicalisation.
Reports indicate a major family rift occurred after Akram married a Christian woman in Australia, which left him estranged from relatives in India.
In an attempt to reconcile, he later brought his wife to Hyderabad for a traditional nikah ceremony, but the relationship with his family remained strained.

📌 Multiple Visits to India, but No Known Radical Activity

Telangana police confirmed Akram visited Hyderabad six times between 1998 and 2022, mostly for property matters and family visits.
Authorities in India emphasised that no evidence links his radicalisation to India, and that his extremist shift appears to have occurred elsewhere.

📌 Indian Origin Confirmed; Pakistan Link Rejected

Officials reiterated that Akram was of Indian origin, countering misinformation circulating online that attempted to link the attackers to Pakistan.
Australian authorities have made no reference to Pakistan in their briefings, and Indian police confirmed Akram held an Indian passport and migrated from Hyderabad in 1998.

📌 Context: The Bondi Attack

On 14 December 2025, Sajid Akram and his 24‑year‑old son Naveed opened fire at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and injuring dozens more.
Akram was shot dead by police, while his son survived and now faces 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder.

📌 Investigators Still Seeking Answers

While the new timeline gap raises questions, authorities have not yet identified what Akram was doing during the missing years.
Australian police maintain that the attackers were inspired by Islamic State ideology but acted alone, with no evidence of training or involvement in a broader terror network.