Missing international student Sahil Kumar found dead in Toronto as family abroad searches for answers
Sahil Kumar, a 22-year-old international student from India, went missing in May and was found deceased 10 days later at the Toronto waterfront. His family is searching for answers about what happened. (Supplied)
The family of an international student from Hamilton, Ont. who went missing last month and was found deceased 10 days later in Toronto is heartbroken by the loss of their loved one and desperately searching for answers.
Sahil Kumar, who was 22-year-old, came to Canada from northern India's Biwani district in April. He was living with roommates in Hamilton, Ont. and was enrolled in a one-year web design program at Humber College's downtown Toronto campus, his cousin Amit Singh told CP24.com earlier this week.
On Friday, May 16, Kumar took the GO train to Toronto for reasons that remain unclear. He exited Union Station, walked towards York Street, and was last seen near Yonge and Dundas streets at around 1 p.m., police said.
He was reported missing the following day by friends who were 'concerned for his well-being,' Hamilton Police Service said in a news release.
Hamilton police were initially handling the case and said at the time that there was 'nothing to suggest that Sahil was in any physical or mental distress prior to his disappearance' and that his online activity suggested 'he may have been interested in visiting the Toronto waterfront.'
They added that he did not bring his passport or laptop with him and that his cell phone was shut off at around 1:30 p.m. that day.
Kumar's body was ultimately found in the water on May 26. The man's cousin told CP24 that it was located in an industrial area along the Toronto waterfront.
The investigation is now in the hands of Toronto police. In a statement provided to CP24. police noted that the investigation is ongoing but said that Kumar's death 'does not appear to be a criminal matter.'
Sahil Kumar
Sahil Kumar, a 22-year-old international student from India, went missing in May and was found deceased 10 days later at the Toronto waterfront. His family is searching for answers about what happened. (Supplied)
'We just don't know what happened,' says cousin
Singh said his cousin's many relatives and friends in India are devastated by his unexpected death and are eager to better understand what happened to him.
'Even the day, he disappeared he was very, very happy,' said Singh, who had spoken to Kumar the evening before he went missing.
Singh said his cousin told him that he liked Canada and that everything was going well. Kumar's only lament, he shared, was the cold weather.
'We're thinking everything on the planet, what could have gone wrong. … We have a lot of assumptions. We just don't know what happened,' Singh said, adding they fear their loved one could have been targeted in some way and are growing concerned that video footage from the area where he is believed to have gone will be deleted as days and weeks go by.
'Something must have happened because people don't just disappear from that area. … It just doesn't make sense.'
The cousin said he was told by Toronto police that Kumar may have been met with some kind of misadventure as his cause of death was determined to be drowning. It's possible that Kumar might have slipped into the frigid water and suffered the deadly effects of hypothermia, Singh said he was told by the authorities.
He added that there was some confusion when they called St. Michael's Hospital to inquire if Kumar was there. He said initially they were told that he was, but then the hospital said he wasn't. Singh added that they also have some questions about a jacket that his cousin was seen wearing in video footage but was not recovered with the body.
The biggest question they all have, he said, is why and how Kumar ended up near and in the water.
'It's just tragic that this happened,' said Singh, who hopes to one day have the means to come to Canada and try to get answers.
He said they've also been in communication with a couple of other Indian families who also sent a loved one to Canada to study only for them to die tragically.
Kumar's body, meanwhile, has now been repatriated to India.
Police 'worked diligently' on Kumar's case
Sgt. Kim Walker, the missing person coordinator for the Hamilton Police Service, said investigators in both jurisdictions have 'worked diligently and collaboratively, sharing information and piecing together every available detail in an effort to bring clarity to Sahil's family.
She added that the evidence eventually led beyond their jurisdiction and that's when the case was handed over to Toronto police.
'We understand that the emotional toll of being so far away, especially across such significant time zones, has made this experience even more painful for Sahil's family in northern India. Both TPS and HPS maintained regular communication with the family throughout the investigation, even when updates were difficult to deliver,' she said.
Walker said she sympathizes with what the family is going through as her daughter, who is around the same age as Kumar, attends school in the United States.
'I can only begin to imagine the helplessness his family was feeling from so far away, especially given today's political climate. The distance can feel overwhelming, especially if you're concerned for your child's safety,' she said.
'We just wanted his family to know that we cared and we were doing everything we could to help find answers based on the evidence before us. While we're often seen simply as police officers, we are also parents, siblings, and members of this community. That perspective brings with it a deep sense of care, empathy, and a relentless commitment to seeking the truth.'
Walker said their thoughts remain with the man's family and his loved ones during this 'incredibly difficult time.'
'We extend our heartfelt wishes for peace, healing, and continued support from their community both near and far,' she said.
CP24 has also reached out to the Consulate General of India, Toronto, but we have not heard back.
Anyone with further information about this case is asked to contact Toronto police at 416-808-7400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
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