Sydney Police Confirm Identity of Bondi Attacker; Indian Media Faces Scrutiny for Spreading False Allegations

SYDNEY, Australia – shooter involved is believed to be Umar Afghani, a man originally from Nangarhar province in Afghanistan. Reports describe the attackers as a father-son duo, with the younger suspect (critically injured and in custody) matching this identification. Australian authorities have not yet officially released the suspects' names, but the "Naveed Akram" story has been widely debunked.

The false narrative, which spread rapidly across social media and several Indian news outlets, centered on Naveed Akram, whose name and photograph were virally shared with claims of his responsibility for the attack. These posts, often originating from or amplified by accounts affiliated with right-wing political media cells, presented the claims as confirmed fact.

The claim that Naveed Akram was responsible for the Bondi Beach shooting, widely circulated with his name and photo is false and fabricated, particularly amplified by BJP media cells and propaganda accounts. Akram has come forward to deny any involvement

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— Mohsin Ali (@Mohsin_o2) December 14, 2025

Akram, who has no connection to the incident, has been forced to publicly deny any involvement. "I am shocked and terrified. My photo is being shared everywhere, saying I am a murderer. This is completely false and is destroying my life," Akram stated in a video message from an undisclosed location, fearing for his safety.

The fabricated story gained significant traction on platform X (formerly Twitter), where several prominent handles known for supporting the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological affiliates presented the misinformation as an exclusive "scoop." Some segments of the Indian television news media picked up the online chatter, reporting the unverified claim with speculative graphics, further lending it an air of legitimacy.

Digital forensics analysts tracking the incident noted a familiar pattern. "Within an hour of the news breaking from Australia, a coordinated network of accounts began seeding the 'Naveed Akram' narrative," explained Dr. Arjun Rao, a disinformation researcher at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. "The tactic follows a known playbook: immediately latch onto a major international tragedy, inject a communal or sensationalist element tailored for the domestic audience, and spread it through an ecosystem of partisan media and hyper-nationalist influencers."

The false claim appeared designed to fit existing political narratives within India, attempting to wrongly connect the attack to a specific community. Australian police had, from the early stages of their investigation, indicated the attacker was likely acting alone and mental health was a significant factor.

The incident has sparked renewed criticism of the Indian media landscape's vulnerability to propaganda and its rush to broadcast unverified information. The Press Council of India has received multiple complaints regarding the reporting. "This is not journalism; it is reckless amplification that has real-world consequences for an innocent man and distracts from the actual tragedy," said senior journalist Maya Fernandes.

As of now, no Indian media outlet that propagated the false name has issued a formal, prominent correction or apology. Australian authorities have reiterated that their investigation concerns only Joel Cauchi and urged the public and media worldwide to rely solely on official police statements.