Hyderabad: Sajid Akram, the suspect killed in the recent mass shooting in Australia, visited Hyderabad six times over a span of 27 years after leaving India in 1998, Telangana Director General of Police B Shivadhar Reddy said on Friday.

The Telangana Police initiated an inquiry after the address listed in Akram’s Indian passport was traced to Hyderabad. During the probe, officials found that Akram was born in the city and first returned in October 2000 after migrating abroad in 1998 for education and employment. He was accompanied by his European wife during that visit.

Akram later visited Hyderabad in 2004 and again in February 2009 following his father’s death, though not to attend the funeral, the DGP said. He subsequently returned in July 2012 and March 2016 to resolve property-related matters with family members.

“His last visit was in July 2022, ostensibly to meet his mother and sister. This is all the information we have regarding his links to Hyderabad. We have no information suggesting his radicalisation took place here or that he had any such links in the city,” Reddy told reporters.

He was responding to queries on whether Akram’s visits to Hyderabad could have contributed to his alleged radicalisation or whether he had any local connections. Police said all of Akram’s visits to India after settling in Australia were primarily for family-related reasons, including property issues and visits to elderly relatives.

At least 15 people were killed during a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach in a mass shooting on December 14. Australian authorities have described the incident as a terrorist attack inspired by the Islamic State. According to officials, the suspects were a father and son, aged 50 and 24. Akram was shot dead during the incident, while his son is undergoing treatment in hospital.