Australian PM announces national gun buyback following Bondi Beach shooting

In the wake of the devastating Bondi Beach tragedy, which claimed 16 lives in a sudden eruption of violence during a public Hanukkah celebration, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese unveiled a decisive measure to curb the proliferation of firearms across the nation.

Addressing the nation from Canberra on Friday, Albanese announced a national gun buyback scheme, aimed at purchasing and permanently destroying surplus, newly banned, and illegal weapons — a resolute step to safeguard communities and honor the memory of those lost.

Echoing the historic response to the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, which claimed 35 lives and reshaped Australia's approach to gun control, Albanese reminded the public that the country currently harbors over four million firearms, surpassing the number in circulation at the time of the earlier tragedy.

Under the new initiative, the responsibility for collection, payment, and processing will rest with the states and territories, while the Australian Federal Police will oversee the destruction of surrendered weapons. Officials anticipate that hundreds of thousands of firearms may be removed from circulation, marking a pivotal moment in Australia's ongoing effort to tame the scourge of gun violence.

Amid this national reckoning, details have emerged about the perpetrators of the Bondi Beach attack. Sajid Akram, 50, originally from Hyderabad, India, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, carried out the mass shooting that plunged Sydney into mourning. Police reports indicate that Sajid migrated to Australia in November 1998 in search of employment, leaving behind limited contact with his family in India. Having completed a B.Com degree in Hyderabad, he later married Venera Grosso, of European descent, and raised two children, including Naveed, who would go on to commit the atrocity alongside him.

Telangana director general of police B. Shivdhar Reddy confirmed that Sajid Akram bore no adverse record during his time in India and emphasized that the radicalisation of the father-son duo bore no connection to Telangana or local influences. He urged caution against speculation, affirming that the Telangana police remain committed to full cooperation with central and international authorities as investigations unfold.

Australian authorities have indicated that the attackers were inspired by ISIS ideology, and the probe continues into the circumstances that culminated in one of the deadliest mass shootings in the country since Port Arthur. As the nation grapples with grief, the promise of the gun buyback serves as a somber reminder of Australia’s enduring resolve: to confront tragedy with action, and to strive toward a safer, more secure society.

With IANS inputs