Sikh man acquitted in 1985 AI bombings killed in Canada

The victim’s family arrives at the scene in Surrey, Canada. Pic/AP

A man was shot dead in British Columbia on Thursday who local media reports said was Ripudaman Singh Malik, a Canadian Sikh businessman acquitted in the 1985 Air India bombings.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police's (RCMP) told Reuters that they had found a man suffering from gunshot wounds when officers responded to a reported shooting just before 9.30 am. They didn't name the man, but said he died on the scene in Surrey. An RCMP spokesperson said they could not name the victim and that the investigation was ongoing.

Local media, citing sources and a witness, reported that the man was Malik. The RCMP said the killing appeared to be targeted and that they had found a suspect vehicle fully engulfed in fire. Authorities were still looking for the suspects and a second vehicle that may have been used for getaway, the RCMP added.

The attack on Air India Flight 182, which exploded over the Atlantic Ocean in 1985, is one of history's deadliest bombings of a commercial airliner. Police have alleged it was plotted by Sikh extremists living in Canada as revenge on India for its storming of Sikhism's Golden Temple in Amritsar in 1984.

Canadian police were criticised for an investigation that some said was bungled. The Canadian government had also formally apologised in 2010 to families of the Air India victims, saying authorities failed to act on information that could have prevented the attack or catch those responsible.

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