AI Generated Summary
- RCMP now confirm that he joined Talwinder Singh Parmar, the alleged mastermind and founder of the Babbar Khalsa extremist group, and Inderjit Singh Reyat, a convicted co-conspirator, in a secluded forest near Duncan on Vancouver Island on June 4, 1985.
- Surveillance agents from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) were reportedly in the area at the time and heard an explosion—but misidentified it as gunfire and did not follow up.
- Nearly four decades after the devastating bombing of Air India Flight 182, Canadian authorities have confirmed they have finally identified the elusive figure long referred to only as ‘Mr X’—a man involved in testing explosives just weeks before the tragedy.
Nearly four decades after the devastating bombing of Air India Flight 182, Canadian authorities have confirmed they have finally identified the elusive figure long referred to only as ‘Mr X’—a man involved in testing explosives just weeks before the tragedy. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), however, have chosen to keep the name secret, citing national privacy laws.
The announcement came on Saturday during a solemn ceremony on Vancouver Island marking the 40th anniversary of the bombing. The event, attended by grieving families and survivors, was addressed by RCMP Assistant Commissioner David Teboul, who confirmed that ‘Mr X’ had died recently.
The new revelation adds a crucial piece to the puzzle of Canada’s worst terrorist attack. On June 23, 1985, a bomb hidden in luggage detonated mid-air aboard Air India Flight 182 off the coast of Ireland. All 329 people on board were killed, including 268 Canadian citizens, most of them of Indian origin. The flight, en route from Montreal to Mumbai via London, has come to symbolize one of the darkest days in Canadian history.
Though suspicions and fragments of evidence pointed to various figures over the years, ‘Mr X’ remained unidentified through much of the investigation. RCMP now confirm that he joined Talwinder Singh Parmar, the alleged mastermind and founder of the Babbar Khalsa extremist group, and Inderjit Singh Reyat, a convicted co-conspirator, in a secluded forest near Duncan on Vancouver Island on June 4, 1985. There, they reportedly tested an improvised explosive device (IED) similar to the one later used on the doomed flight.
Surveillance agents from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) were reportedly in the area at the time and heard an explosion—but misidentified it as gunfire and did not follow up. This misstep would haunt investigators for years to come.
The only individual ever convicted in connection to the bombing, Inderjit Singh Reyat, served time for aiding in bomb construction and later for perjury during the trial. He consistently claimed ignorance of ‘Mr X’s identity. Parmar, accused of masterminding the plot, was killed in a police encounter in India in 1992 and never stood trial.
Speaking at the memorial, Commissioner Teboul emphasized the enduring gravity of the crime. “The Kanishka bombing remains the largest act of terrorism in Canadian history,” he said. “While the chance of another trial is minimal, we have a duty to continue seeking answers and honouring the memory of those lost.”
His remarks came against the backdrop of tentative diplomatic thaw between Canada and India. Earlier this month, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Kananaskis. Both leaders committed to taking “calibrated and constructive steps” to repair relations, including reinstating High Commissioners in their respective capitals.
Tensions had escalated sharply last year when then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly accused India of orchestrating the assassination of Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in British Columbia—a claim New Delhi strongly denied. Diplomatic relations soured, with both nations expelling diplomats and India suspending visa services for Canadians.
Saturday’s memorial served as a reminder that even after 40 years, the Air India tragedy remains a scar on Canada’s conscience. The mid-air bombing was followed by a second explosive incident just hours later at Tokyo’s Narita airport, where another suitcase bomb—intended for a different Air India flight—detonated prematurely, killing two baggage handlers.
As investigators tie up remaining loose ends and families continue to grieve, the secrecy surrounding ‘Mr X’s identity underscores the delicate balance between justice, privacy, and national memory.
For many of the victims’ families, the naming of ‘Mr X’ may have come too late—but the acknowledgment of his role brings one step closer the long quest for closure.
