Canada: The murder of an Indian student is mourned by India’s Consulate in Toronto

Canada: The death of an Indian student in a shooting incident close to the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus was met with sorrow by the Consulate General of India in Toronto on Thursday (local time).

The Consulate stated in a statement on X that it is giving the deceased’s family the support they need.

“We are very saddened by the shooting murder of Mr. Shivank Avasthi, a young Indian doctorate student, who was killed close to the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus. In close conjunction with the local authorities, the Consulate is providing all necessary support to the grieving family during this trying time, the Consulate General said.

Shivank Avasthi was shot and killed along Highland Creek Trail and Old Kingston Road earlier on Tuesday (local time), according to the Toronto Police. According to the Toronto Sun, the victim had a gunshot wound when the police arrived on the scene and declared him dead.

The suspects left the area before police arrived, according to police authorities. During the investigation, the campus was closed.

This was Toronto’s 41st murder of the year, according to the Toronto Sun.

A 30-year-old Indian-origin woman was discovered dead in the city, according to Toronto Police earlier, and a nationwide arrest warrant has been issued for a suspect who was acquainted with the deceased.

The deceased was identified as Toronto resident Himanshi Khurana. In relation to the crime, police said they are looking for Abdul Ghafoori (32), a resident of Toronto. Investigators told CBC News that the incident seemed to have included “intimate partner violence.”

India’s Consulate in Toronto said on Wednesday that it was very shocked and saddened by Himanshi Khurana’s murder. The Consulate expressed its “deepest condolences to her bereaved family during this moment of profound grief” and expressed its “deep sadness and shock by the murder of Himanshi Khurana, a young Indian national, in Toronto” in a message posted on X.

It has been closely monitoring the situation over the last several days and said that, while the investigation is ongoing, the family is receiving every help available in close conjunction with local authorities.