Two Indian Students Murdered In Canada's Toronto Within A Week. Who Were They?

Last Updated:December 26, 2025, 11:43 IST

Two Indian nationals, Shivank Avasthi and Himanshi Khurana, were killed in separate incidents in Canada within a week.

Two Indians killed in Canada in a week (Photos: Toronto Police)

Two Indian nationals were killed in separate incidents in Canada within the span of a week, triggering concern among the Indian diaspora and renewed scrutiny of public safety.

The victims, Shivank Avasthi, a student at the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC), and Himanshi Khurana, a Toronto-based digital creator, were killed in unrelated incidents that are being investigated as homicides by Canadian authorities.

INDIAN STUDENT SHIVANK AVASTHI SHOT DEAD IN CANADA 

Shivank Avasthi, 20, was shot dead near the University of Toronto Scarborough campus this week.

The Toronto Police identified Avasthi as the victim after responding to a call around 3.30 pm on December 23, reporting an injured person lying on the ground near the Highland Creek Trail and Old Kingston Road.

“When officers arrived, they located a person with a gunshot wound. That person was pronounced dead at the scene," Duty Inspector Jeff Allington told reporters, as cited by PTI.

Police confirmed the case is being investigated as a homicide and said the suspect fled before officers arrived.

No suspect description has been released so far.

The Tribune reported that Avasthi was a third-year life sciences student at UTSC.

According to The Indian Express, Avasthi was also a member of the university’s cheerleading team. Paying tribute on Instagram, the team remembered him as a “supportive teammate who brought smiles to everyone’s faces" and said he would “always be part of our UTSC Cheer family."

The shooting occurred near one of the university’s popular trail systems along the Highland Creek valley.

The incident also reportedly prompted a brief lockdown, with the university issuing a “shelter-in-place advisory" while police investigated.

The Week reported that Avasthi’s body was discovered by a person walking through a wooded area, who then alerted the police.

While the incident initially sparked fears of an active shooter, police later clarified the situation.

“So as far as I know, we were never operating under the suspicion that there was an active shooter," a senior police official told reporters.

The shelter-in-place order was fully lifted by 6:30 pm after authorities said there was no immediate risk to public safety.

Inspector Allington noted investigative challenges due to the absence of security cameras in the wooded area, but said, “The lack of debris nearby made it easier to identify evidence that may help us develop a suspect."

Later, India’s Consulate in Toronto expressed “deep anguish" over Avasthi’s death, stating on X that it was in touch with the bereaved family and extending all necessary assistance.

ANOTHER INDIAN, HIMANSHI KHURANA, WAS KILLED IN CANADA THIS WEEK

In a separate incident, Himanshi Khurana, a young Indian national, was found murdered in Toronto.

The local police said the 30-year-old Indian-origin woman was discovered dead inside a residence after being reported missing.

Soon after, the police issued a Canada-wide arrest warrant for Abdul Ghafoori (32), also of Toronto, who was known to the victim.

Investigators told CBC News that the case appeared to involve “intimate partner violence."

India’s Consulate in Toronto said it was “deeply saddened and shocked by the murder of Ms Himanshi Khurana" and extended its “deepest condolences to her bereaved family during this moment of profound grief."

The Consulate added that it is providing all possible assistance in coordination with local authorities.

Media reports described Khurana as a Toronto-based digital creator who had studied in Delhi.

News world Two Indian Students Murdered In Canada's Toronto Within A Week. Who Were They?

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