International
oi-Madhuri Adnal
A 32-year-old man has been arrested by Canadian authorities and charged with the murder of his Indian-origin partner in downtown Toronto, police said on Saturday (local time). The arrest comes nearly seven months after the woman was found dead and the accused allegedly fled the scene.
The accused, Abdul Ghafoori, was wanted in connection with the death of 30-year-old Himanshi Khurana, who was found dead inside a residence in Toronto in December. Police had described the case as the city’s 40th homicide of 2025.
Toronto police charged 32-year-old Abdul Ghafoori with first-degree murder on August 7, 2026, nearly seven months after his partner, 30-year-old Indian national Himanshi Khurana, was found deceased in the city.
According to Toronto Police, Khurana and Ghafoori were in an “intimate partner relationship”. Khurana had gone missing from the area of Strachan Avenue and Wellington Street West, following which police launched a search.
She was found dead at around 6.30 am on December 20.
Accused arrested, charged with first-degree murder
Police launched an investigation into the death and later circulated photographs and videos of Ghafoori as part of efforts to locate him.
After nearly seven months, Ghafoori was located and arrested on August 7. He has been charged with first-degree murder.
“Members of the Toronto Police Fugitive Squad and Homicide and Missing Persons Unit liaised with national and international policing partners to facilitate the accused’s return to Canada. On Friday, August 7, 2026, Abdul Ghafoori, 32, of Toronto was located and arrested,” the Toronto Police Service said in a statement.
India expresses grief over Khurana’s death
The Consulate General of India in Toronto had earlier expressed condolences over Khurana’s death and said it was providing assistance to her family while coordinating efforts to bring her remains back to India.
“We are deeply saddened and shocked by the murder of Ms. Himanshi Khurana, a young Indian national, in Toronto. We extend our deepest condolences to her bereaved family during this moment of profound grief,” the consulate said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“The Consulate has been in close touch with the matter over the past few days, and all possible assistance is being extended to the family in close coordination with local authorities,” it added.
