Air India Kanishka bombing probe likely to go 'inactive' in Canada, victims' families 'dismayed'

Canadian law enforcement is considering scaling back its investigation into the 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182, also known as the Kanishka bombing, leaving families of the victims distressed, according to a letter written by a victims’ family member.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is reportedly considering reducing the size of the task force investigating the June 23, 1985, bombing, citing a lack of leads to take the probe forward.

Victims’ families react to possible probe closure

Sanjay Lazar, chairman of the Kanishka Foundation and a family member of victims, raised the issue in a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Lazar, who is based in Mumbai, travelled to Canada and attended a September 12 meeting on the progress of the investigation. He said families were shocked to learn about the possibility of the probe being scaled back.

“To my utter shock and horror, I learnt that there is a move afoot to abandon the investigations, to reduce the size of the task force, and basically put the AI-182 Kanishka matter into ‘inactive’ status”, Lazar wrote in the letter.

Lazar lost his parents and infant sister in the bombing. He said several family members became distressed during the meeting after hearing about the proposed changes to the investigation.

“Many family members were distraught at hearing this and naturally the tempers flared and family members broke down,” Lazar wrote.

Appeal to continue investigation

Lazar urged the Canadian government to ensure that the investigation continues and called for renewed efforts to identify those responsible for the bombing.

“Given the state of growing Khalistani and other extremism in Canada and the world, I respectfully reach out to your good self to ensure that the investigations continue, a renewed push be made with an enhanced reward, and that stronger efforts be made by the Canadian policing and intelligence authorities to find the perpetrators”, he concluded in his letter.

The letter was also sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the foreign ministers of India and Canada, the RCMP Commissioner and other Canadian officials.

The Kanishka bombing remains the deadliest terrorist attack in Canadian history. All 329 people aboard Air India Flight 182 were killed, most of them Canadian citizens.