Remembering the 1985 Air India Kanishka Bombing: A Continuing Pursuit of Justice

As Parliament solemnly marked the 39th anniversary of the Air India Kanishka bombing, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar described it as a “dark day” in the global fight against terrorism. The tragic event, which occurred on June 23, 1985, claimed the lives of 329 individuals, including 22 Indian citizens, when a bomb exploded mid-air over the Atlantic Ocean.

The bombing, attributed to Sikh militants in retaliation for ‘Operation Bluestar’ in 1984, remains one of the deadliest acts of terrorism in aviation history. Despite the passage of time, the investigation into this heinous act continues to be actively pursued by Canadian authorities, acknowledging its complexity and historical significance in Canada’s domestic terrorism investigations.