Indian woman murder case: Toronto Police arrest partner after seven months

Toronto Police have arrested Abdul Ghafoori after he returned to Canada in the Himanshi Khurana murder case. The arrest advances a cross-border investigation into the death of the young Indian woman.

In Short

• Himanshi Khurana was reported missing before officers found her dead
• Investigators had earlier declared the case a homicide involving partners
• Police issued a warrant, then launched a nationwide search effort

A 32-year-old man has been arrested in Toronto for allegedly killing his partner, a 30-year-old Indian woman, according to a local media report. Abdul Ghafoori was arrested at a Toronto airport on Friday after returning to Canada following more than seven months on the run.

CBC News reported that Ghafoori has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Himanshi Khurana, who was found dead inside a Toronto residence in December last year. In Canada, a first-degree murder conviction carries a mandatory life sentence, with no eligibility for full parole for 25 years.

The case relates to Khurana's death after Toronto Police responded to a call on December 19 about a missing woman. The following day, at around 6.30 am, officers found her dead inside a residence, according to a police release issued at the time.

Police identified the victim two days later and later issued a warrant for Ghafoori's arrest, launching a nationwide search. Earlier, investigators had said Khurana's death was a homicide and that she was in an intimate partner relationship with Ghafoori. However, exact details of the homicide were not shared with the press.

According to the report, officers from Toronto Police's Fugitive Squad and Homicide and Missing Persons Unit worked with national and international law enforcement agencies to facilitate Ghafoori's return. The authorities did not specify the country from which he was brought back and did not share further information about the accused and the victim.

The Consulate General of India in Toronto had earlier expressed shock and grief over Khurana's death. In a post on X on December 24, the Consulate said Khurana was a "young Indian national" and that it was extending all possible assistance to her family in coordination with local authorities. The arrest now marks a key development in the case that began with Khurana being reported missing and later found dead in Toronto.

With PTI Inputs

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