Latest news with #SahilKumar
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
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 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.
CBC
5 days ago
- CBC
International student Sahil Kumar found dead 10 days after disappearance in Toronto
A 22-year-old Hamilton student who was reported missing nearly a month ago was found dead in Toronto, according to police. Sahil Kumar was last seen on the afternoon of May 16 near Yonge and Dundas streets in downtown Toronto. A recent arrival from India, Kumar had moved to Hamilton in April and was set to begin a web design program at Humber College earlier this spring. In a news release, Toronto police said Kumar's body was found on May 26 — 10 days after he went missing. While the investigation remains open, police said the case "does not appear to be a criminal matter." A spokesperson told CBC that no further information would be released. Kumar's family, however, says the circumstances surrounding his death raise far more questions than answers. "He was happy. He had no problems. He called home every day and told us he was enjoying his course," said Akshay Yadav, Kumar's uncle in India, in an interview translated from Hindi. "He told us: 'Next time I want to bring grandma with me. It feels good here.'" According to the family, Kumar spoke to his parents, brother, and grandmother on the day he went missing. "That was May 16, in the afternoon. After that, his phone was off," Yadav told CBC Hamilton. His roommates initially thought he may have returned home and gone to sleep. But when they realized he hadn't, they began calling and eventually filed a police report. It was issued on May 20. "It felt like the ground had slipped from under our feet," said Yadav. "We had just spoken to him." On May 27, they received a message confirming Kumar had been found dead in the water. His body was identified by the family overseas during a video call with police. "We were shocked. It was impossible to believe. Sahil even knew how to swim," Yadav said. "We kept asking, 'Why would he go to the beach? What happened?' But we've gotten no clear answers." Toronto police have not commented on the location where Kumar's body was found or the specific circumstances surrounding his death. The family says communication largely stopped after the body was recovered. Based in a small village in India, without the financial means or many Canadians connections, the family says they feel powerless to push for a more thorough investigation or to look privately into the circumstances. "It feels like an injustice was done to us," said Yadav. "We're not wealthy, we don't have the means to fight this." Yadav said the family has begun to reach out to other families of international students from India who also went missing recently. They were alarmed to read about one case in Ottawa, where a college student died in April under some similar circumstances, he said. They also connected with the family of Vedatman Poduval, a York University student who was reported missing on June 2 by Toronto police and found four days later, on June 6. While police have only said he was found, the family told CBC News he had died. Yadav said the conversation between the two families underscored the similarities between the cases — young international students, all found in water under unclear circumstances. "When this happens again and again, it should raise questions," Yadav said. CBC has asked both Toronto and Ottawa police whether they are investigating any potential patterns across the cases or are coordinating on the cases but did not hear back before publication. If you or someone you know is struggling, here's where to look for help:
Hindustan Times
08-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Body of Charkhi Dadri youth found in Canada, family demands probe
The family of 22-year-old Sahil Kumar, whose body was found in a Lake in Canada, has urged the Canadian government to probe the death from murder angle. Sahil Kumar, of Charkhi Dadri's Dohka village, went to Canada on a study visa in April and enrolled in Humber College. He went to college on May 17 after which he went missing. His uncle Mukesh Kumar said the Hamilton police had recovered the body of Sahil from a lake on May 27 and later his identification was done. 'We can't accept that he drowned to death because he was a good swimmer. His body will be brought back to India within two days. We urge the Indian government to raise the issue with their Canadian counterpart. The government should provide some financial assistance to the family as his father Harish Kumar, a retired army personnel, spent his entire savings of ₹40 lakh in sending him abroad,' he added.
CBC
28-05-2025
- General
- CBC
He called his parents to say hello from the GO train. Then this international student disappeared
Social Sharing Nearly two weeks ago, after he left the GO train station in Hamilton, Sahil Kumar called his parents as he made his way to Toronto. He told his mom he was doing fine, missed her cooking, and would call again soon. That was the last time anyone heard from him. The 22-year-old international student, from the north Indian state of Haryana, had only been in Canada for three weeks when he vanished. On May 16, he left downtown Hamilton, where he shared a home with other Indian students, and started his commute to get to class at a Humber College building near Yonge and Bloor streets. Surveillance footage later placed him near Yonge and Dundas just after 1 p.m. — walking with a backpack, wearing a white collared shirt and a black jacket. Then he disappeared. Kumar's family said he was excited about his future in Canada and had been in weekly contact since arriving in late April. The last WhatsApp call between him and his parents was just minutes before he exited Union Station in Toronto. "He told us not to worry, that he was settling in well, and would start working soon," his cousin Amit Singh, who lives in the same village of Nandgao in Haryana, told CBC Hamilton. That call ended at 11:49 a.m. According to police, his phone powered off at 1:31 p.m. Four days later, Hamilton police issued a missing persons alert for Kumar. It noted that he was unfamiliar with the area, had left his passport and laptop at home, and might have been interested in visiting Toronto's waterfront based on online activity. The investigation is now being led by Toronto police. On May 26, they released a video they believe shows Kumar around 1 p.m. on May 16 near Yonge and Dundas, captured by a security camera. Kumar's family are worried that the most critical hours for searching for Kumar were lost in those early days after his disappearance. "We only learned on May 22 that the case was being transferred to Toronto police," Singh said. "That was six days after he went missing. He was last seen in Toronto. Why did it take so long?" A delay the family can't understand The family also wonders why police can't access more security cameras. "We kept asking police if they could check more footage, but were told it's difficult unless the case is converted to criminal," Singh said. "We feel helpless." According to the family, officers told them privacy laws can make it harder to access commercial or private CCTV footage beyond initial public spaces. They believe reclassifying the case as a criminal investigation would expedite that access. CBC Hamilton asked Toronto police to comment on the designation of the case and on the access police have to CCTV footage. Toronto police said the investigation is ongoing but that releasing details about it could "compromise the investigation or infringe on the privacy of those involved," the service said in an email. "We are concerned for Kumar's safety, and we are urging anyone who was in the area of Yonge Street and Dundas Street West around 1:30 p.m. that day to review the video and photos," said an email from media relations officer Stephanie Sayer. "At this time, there is no evidence to suggest foul play. Officers continue to follow up on all leads and new information as it comes in." CBC Hamilton also asked Hamilton police for comment on the timeline of the search, including when it may have been transferred to Toronto. It did not receive a response. Limits of missing persons investigations Waterloo MPP Catherine Fife, who helped create Ontario's Missing Persons Act, which came into effect in 2019, said the legislation was intended to give police more tools to investigate when someone vanishes without evidence of a crime connected to the case. "Before this law, police couldn't access even basic phone or banking records unless a crime was suspected," she said. "This legislation was designed to address that." But Fife said the act does not currently include language around access to private security footage. That exclusion was due to concerns related to privacy, she said. But she understand that international students are particularly "vulnerable" in Canada, she added. "That should factor into how we respond," Fife told CBC News this week. No news means no peace for the family Back in Haryana, Kumar's mother has stopped eating due to the stress of his disappearance. His younger brother, who encouraged Kumar to study in Canada, now blames himself, the cousin said. The village where they live has become quiet, suspended in the absence of news, the family said. "Sahil was not someone who wandered randomly," Singh said. "He was responsible, thoughtful, always looking out for the family. We just want to know where he is. We want someone to take this seriously." Singh said the family gave power of attorney to the Indian Consulate in Toronto to receive updates on Kumar's case. But days after formal authorization, the family says the consulate called Kumar's father simply to ask for information — not to offer any. "They should be helping us get answers," Singh said. "But they are asking us what the update is." The Consulate General of India in Toronto did not respond to a request for comment. Despite the frustrations, Kumar's father Harish Kumar remains hopeful.
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Time of India
Indian student goes missing in Canada days after arriving the country
Sahil Kumar, a 23-year-old Indian student from Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, has been reported missing in Canada just days after reaching the country to begin his studies at Humber College . According to the Hamilton Police , Sahil was last seen on May 16 at around 12:50 p.m. when he exited Union Station in Toronto. His mobile phone has been switched off since 1:31 p.m. that day. He had left behind his passport and laptop at his home in Hamilton. Authorities have asked the Indian community in Canada to check local Gurdwaras to see if Sahil has taken shelter there. Police said he is not familiar with the area and may have lost his way. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Never Put Eggs In The Refrigerator. Here's Why... Car Novels Undo Investigators shared that his online activity showed interest in visiting the Toronto waterfront. They are working with Metrolinx, local hospitals, Toronto Police , and Humber College as part of the ongoing search. (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) "There is no evidence to suggest Kumar was in any physical or mental distress at the time of his disappearance," said the police. Live Events — HamiltonPolice (@HamiltonPolice) His family has confirmed that he was living in Hamilton with a fellow villager from Dadri. Sahil's father is a retired Army personnel. 'Police are concerned since he has been in contact with family or friends. If seen, call 9055408549,' read a post by the Hamilton Police. The investigation is still underway.
