Second man arrested in frying pan attack on Elnaz Hajtamiri in Richmond Hill, Ont.
Police have arrested another man in connection to an alleged violent attack on Elnaz Hajtamiri in a Richmond Hill, Ont. parking garage just weeks before she disappeared in January.
Investigators with the York Regional Police Criminal Bureau announced Harshdeep Binner, 24, of Brampton, who was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant, was arrested last week.
Binner and a second man, Riyasat Singh, are accused of assaulting Hajtamiri, hitting her in the head with a frying pan, in December 2021.
Police say the incident was interrupted by a concerned citizen, and the suspects fled the scene in an allegedly stolen vehicle, which has since been recovered.
Hajtamiri was taken to the hospital, requiring nearly 40 stitches.
Police issued a warrant for their arrest in April. Singh, 23, of Brampton, was taken into custody a short time later.
Both men are charged with attempted murder, attempted kidnapping, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, and mischief over $5,000.
ABDUCTION
On Jan. 12, weeks after the alleged assault in Richmond Hill, police say Hajtamiri was forcibly taken from a Wasaga Beach, Ont., home where family say she had been in hiding.
The woman's former boyfriend, Mohamad Lilo, 35, was later charged with kidnapping, which provincial police confirm is related to Hajtamiri's disappearance. He is also charged with attempted murder and attempted kidnapping linked to the attack on Hajtamiri in Richmond Hill.
Lilo, Binner, and Singh remain in police custody.
Hajtamiri's whereabouts remain unknown as police continue to investigate.
The allegations against Lilo, Binner, and Singh have not been tested in court.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
China's latest EV is a 'connected' car from smart phone and electronics maker Xiaomi
Xiaomi, a well-known maker of smart consumer electronics in China, is joining the country's booming but crowded market for electric cars.