New Delhi (India) September 18: Surendra Koli, who was one of the prime accused for Nithari murders that left the nation in shock in 2006, was discovered dead on Friday inside a tea kiosk in Haridwar's Bhupatwala area. The police stated their first impression was of suicide, although not ruled out. The investigations have been initiated after questioning the people around.

Police Begin Death Probe

Haridwar Kotwali Police Station Sub-Inspector Vikram Bisht said that the Saptarishi police outpost was informed that a man was lying dead at a tea shop on Sapt Sarovar Road. The dead person was identified as Koli. 

"Police received information this morning that a person had allegedly hanged himself. Our forensic team reached the spot. At present, it appears to be a case of suicide. The body is in police custody, and the panchanama and post-mortem proceedings are underway," he said.

Koli Faced Multiple Cases

Koli was directly involved with the Nithari murders probe, and was in jail for several years after being found guilty and awarded death sentences in multiple cases relating to the disappearance, murder and rape of children and young women near Nithari village in Noida.

Koli's long battle in courts reached a climax in October 2023 when the Allahabad High Court acquitted him in 12 Nithari cases while Pandher was acquitted in two cases. While acquitting the two, the court observed lack of credible evidence.

The CBI and the UP government as well as the families of the victims had challenged the verdicts before the supreme court. They overcame these obstacles too, which led to the November 2025 Supreme Court decision, and they were cleared of all charges by the court too.

Court Flagged Investigation Gaps

The court also noted deficiencies such as not having maintained the crime scene before excavation, inconsistent versions in remand papers, long police custody period, and lapses in collection of forensic evidence.

It also said investigators had not properly followed up leads related to witnesses from the man's household and neighbourhood or explored material lines of inquiry, such as an organ-trade aspect identified by a government formed committee.

Nithari Case Came to Light

Between 2005 and 2006, a number of children and young women went missing from the adjacent Nithari village in Noida. The families of the missing children had filed repeated complaints but the police refused to listen to them.

But in December 2006, a local resident, a father who lost his son to the fateful incident, kept agitating. The police then searched the drain behind house D-5-where businessman Moninder Singh Pandher and his servant Surinder Koli were living and recovered remains, skulls and children's clothes.