'I Pray It's Not Related To Kanishka Bombing': Says Son Of Sikh Businessman Shot Dead In Canada
A prominent Canadian Sikh businessman Ripudaman Singh Malik was shot dead in British Colombia on Thursday outside his office.
Malik was an accused in the 1985 Air India Kanishka bombing case and was acquitted in 2005.
Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri, a worker in British Columbia, were acquitted in 2005 of charges related to the attack on Air India Flight 182.
Air India Kanishka bombing
On June 23, 1985, the flight carrying 329 people, including 268 Canadian citizens and 24 Indian citizens, flew from Toronto and stopped in Montreal, from where it was en route to London and then onwards to its final destination Bombay.
The plane was flying 31,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean when a suitcase bomb exploded in the front cargo, killing all on board.
Police said they have not established a motive for the killing or have evidence to suggest whether the incident was connected to the airline attack.
Not related to the tragedy: son
His son Jaspreet Malik said he hoped his father's killing was unrelated to the Kanishka bombing.
"My father, Ripudaman Singh Malik (1947-2022), dedicated his life to promoting Guru Nanak Dev Ji¡¯s teachings, including those of love, honesty, and Sarbat Da Bhalla (the betterment of all humanity).
He came to Canada in 1972 and, in 1986, founded the Khalsa Credit Union and Khalsa School, now the largest private school in BC.
The media will always refer to him as someone charged with the Air India bombing. He was wrongly charged, and the Court concluded there was no evidence against him. The media and RCMP never seemed to accept the Court's decision, and I pray today's tragedy is unrelated.
My father's commitment was to his community and his family; his goal was to see the immigrant Sikh community thrive through education and financial security. His legacy lives on through Khalsa Credit Union and Khalsa School," he said in a statement on Facebook.
"We understand this is a high-profile international story. However, we urge not to speculate as to the motive as our homicide investigators will be following the evidence," Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sergeant David Lee said.
DSGMC condoles Malik's murder
The Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee on Friday condoled the killing of Malik, saying he always talked of serving humanity.
"It's a very painful and unfortunate news. Malik always talked of serving the humanity and for many years he was helping immigrants in Canada," DSGMC president Harmeet Singh Kalka said
Malik also was instrumental in opening a credit bank and school for the needy in Canada and his "assassination" is a "highly shameful" incident, Kalka said.
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