An Indian student has been shot dead in a firing incident close to the University of Toronto’s Scarborough Campus. This incident has now heightened safety concerns for Indian students in Canada. This shooting incident happened on Tuesday, 23rd December, close to Highland Creek Trail and Old Kingston Road. The Toronto Police Service has stated that their team arrived at the location at 3:30 pm local time. The victim was declared dead at the location after being shot. The perpetrators escaped soon after committing the murder.
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Who is Shivank Avasthi?
The victim has been identified as Shivank Avasthi, an Indian citizen studying at the University of Toronto Scarborough. Shivank is in his third year of study and is enrolled in the Life Sciences program at the University of Toronto Scarborough. According to the Toronto Police Department, Avasthi liked to hang out in Campus Valley, which is recognised by the University of Toronto as an organic hangout location for students.
Apart from academics, Avasthi was very engaged with life on campus. He was part of the cheerleading squad at UTSC. The team remembered him as “a very positive and encouraging person to have around.” The team honoured him with an Instagram tribute, where they mentioned that he was “a tremendous loss to us” because he was someone “who brought smiles to our faces” during practices.
Lockdown and security issues on campus
After the shooting incident, the University of Toronto imposed a temporary lockdown on the Scarborough campus. Students were directed not to go into the Valley area until further notice.
As per a report by Firstpost, the incident has raised concerns about safety for students. It is reported that students had earlier brought up security concerns, especially with regard to remote locations within the campus. Students have also complained about the limited information that has been provided about the suspects and the reason for the shooting incident.
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University response regarding the Indian consulate
According to the report by The Firstpost, a spokesperson of the University of Toronto said that grief counselling services are being offered to students on campus.
The Consulate General of India in Toronto also mourned the death of Avasthi. In a post on X, the consulate stated it is in contact with the family of the deceased and is doing all it can to assist them.
The shooting follows another tragedy that befell an Indian-origin woman, Himanshi Khurana, who was found dead in her Toronto apartment on December 20. The Canadian police had later launched a nationwide warrant against Abdul Ghafoori in connection with her murder, calling it “intimate partner violence.”
