Ripudaman Singh Malik, one of the accused persons in the 1985 Air India bombing case, was shot dead in Surrey in Canada’s British Columbia province on Thursday, The Hindu reported.

The shooting took place around 9.30 am local time on Thursday, the police said, adding that witnesses heard three gunshots, The Indian Express reported, citing Canadian media outlet CBC News. The attack appeared to be a targeted shooting, the police said.

A burning car was also seen near the scene of the shooting.

“The investigation is in the early stages and police are still looking for the suspects and a second vehicle that may have been used as a getaway vehicle,” Constable Sarbjit K Sangha said in a press release, according to the Richmond News.

Malik was accused of funding the bombing of Air India Flight 182 Kanishka on June 23, 1985. All 329 persons on board died after the flight operating on the Montreal-London-Delhi-Mumbai route exploded off the coast of Ireland. The victims included 280 Canadians and 86 children.

Malik was acquitted in the case in 2005. He had also visited India in December 2019 after his name was removed from those blacklisted from travelling to the country.

Inderjeet Singh Reyat and Ajaib Singh Bagri were the two other prime accused persons in the bombing that took place at a time when insurgency was at its peak in Punjab. Malik and Bagri were acquitted after Reyat, who became a prosecution witness, told the court that he could not remember details about the attack or the names of those involved in it, The Indian Express reported.

In a statement confirming Malik’s death, his son said that he had been “wrongly charged” in the case.

“The media and RCMP [Royal Canadian Mounted Police] never seemed to accept the court’s decision and I pray today’s tragedy is not related,” he said.

Former Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee chief Paramjit Singh Sarna said he was “deeply saddened” by Malik’s death.

“The loss is irreparable,” he said in a statement. “Sardar Malik ran a number of Khalsa schools and was at the forefront of humanitarian efforts in Canada. My sincere condolences to his family. We hope Canadian authorities will launch a thorough investigation into his assassination and bring culprits to book.”