Surendra Koli, a key accused in the notorious 2005-06 Nithari serial killings, has reportedly died by suicide in Haridwar, authorities confirmed. His death comes less than a year after the Supreme Court acquitted him in the last remaining case and ordered his release from prison.
Koli, 50, was discovered hanging inside a tea stall in the Bhupatwala area of North Haridwar on September 18. The stall, located opposite the Lalmata Temple on Sapt Sarovar Road, was where Koli had been working as a tea seller for a few days prior to the incident. Police were alerted to the scene and have initiated an investigation into the circumstances of his death, informing his relatives. A potential motive for the suicide was not immediately available.
The Nithari Killings Case
The horrific Nithari case first came to light in December 2006 with the discovery of human remains in a drain near House D-5 in Nithari, Noida. The area had seen numerous disappearances of children and young women between 2005 and 2006. Koli, who worked as a domestic help for businessman Moninder Singh Pandher, was subsequently accused alongside Pandher in multiple cases involving murder, abduction, rape, and destruction of evidence.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the probe, leading to Koli's conviction in several cases by trial courts, with many resulting in death sentences.
Supreme Court Acquittal and Release
The legal proceedings against Koli spanned years. In 2023, the Allahabad High Court acquitted both Koli and Pandher in several Nithari cases, citing deficiencies in the prosecution's evidence. The Supreme Court affirmed these acquittals in July 2025. However, Koli remained incarcerated due to one pending case.
In November 2025, the Supreme Court granted Koli's curative petition in this final case, overturning his conviction. A three-judge bench, led by then Chief Justice BR Gavai, mandated his release, provided he was not required for any other legal matters. The court noted that the prosecution had failed to establish his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and criticized certain aspects of the investigation and the evidentiary record.