Two Indian nationals were murdered in Canada within just two weeks, raising concerns within the Indian community. Police, however, have stated that the two deaths are unrelated. The most recent incident involved the fatal shooting of Indian doctoral student Shivank Avasthi near the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus. The earlier case saw the killing of Indian woman Himanshi Khurana, with police suspecting it to be a case of intimate partner violence.
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Toronto Police confirmed on Tuesday that someone shot and killed Indian doctoral student Shivank Avasthi near the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus in the Highland Creek Trail and Old Kingston Road area.Officers responded to reports of the shooting and found Avasthi with a gunshot wound. They pronounced him dead at the scene. The suspects fled before the police arrived, and authorities locked down the campus during the investigation. This killing marked Toronto’s 41st homicide of the year and the second crime-related death of an Indian in the city within a few days. The Consulate General of India in Toronto expressed condolences and confirmed its assistance to the victim’s family.
Indian Woman Murdered in Toronto Partner Suspected
In a separate incident, 30-year-old Indian woman Himanshi Khurana was murdered in Toronto last week. Police identified her from a social media profile where she described herself as a digital creator based in the city. Authorities confirmed the killing and issued a first-degree murder warrant for 32-year-old Abdul Ghafoori. Toronto Police responded to a missing person report on the night of December 19 in the Strachan Avenue and Wellington Street West area. On the morning of December 20, officers found Khurana’s body inside a residence. Police believe the victim and the suspect knew each other, and they have classified the case as a homicide.
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