Haridwar, September 18 (TNA) Surendra Koli, who was accused in the 2006 Nithari killings case, was found dead inside his tea stall in Haridwar on Friday. Police said preliminary findings suggest that he died by suicide, although the circumstances surrounding his death are being investigated.
Koli’s body was found hanging from a rope inside the tea shop in the Bhupatwala area, near Sapt Sarovar Road and opposite Lal Mata Temple. Police reached the spot after receiving information about the incident and took the body into custody.
A forensic team examined the scene, while proceedings for the panchanama and post-mortem examination were initiated. Officials said no suicide note had been recovered so far and that the exact circumstances and possible reason behind the death were yet to be established.
Acquitted by Supreme Court
Koli had been released from prison in November 2025 after the Supreme Court acquitted him in the last remaining case connected with the Nithari killings. He had spent more than a decade in prison and had been facing a death sentence in cases linked to the deaths of children in Noida’s Nithari area.
The Nithari killings came to light in 2006 after skeletal remains were found in a drain near the house of businessman Moninder Singh Pandher in Nithari village, Noida. The case triggered nationwide outrage and became one of the most closely followed criminal investigations in India.
Koli was subsequently acquitted in all 13 cases related to the killings. The Supreme Court’s final acquittal in 2025 led to his release from prison.
Investigation underway
Haridwar police said Koli had been living in the city for some time and was running the tea stall on rent. Officials said the initial assessment pointed to suicide, but investigators were examining all aspects of the case before reaching a conclusion.
The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, and police are recording statements of people familiar with Koli’s recent activities. Further details are expected after the medical examination and completion of the preliminary inquiry.