Nithari Killings Case: Surendra Koli, Acquitted by SC in All Cases, Dies by Suicide in Haridwar

September 18, 2026

Haridwar: Surendra Koli, who was accused in the sensational 2006 Nithari killings case, died by suicide at a tea stall in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar on Friday, police said.

Koli, who had reportedly been living in Haridwar and running a tea stall for the past few days, was found hanging inside the rented kiosk located opposite Lal Mata Temple on Sapt Sarovar Road in the Bhupatwala area of northern Haridwar.

Soon after receiving information about the incident, a team from the Saptarishi police outpost reached the spot, took possession of the body and began an investigation.

Koli Found Hanging Inside Tea Stall

According to police, information was received that a man had been found dead at a tea stall on Sapt Sarovar Road. During the preliminary investigation, no suicide note was found at the shop.

Police officials inspected the scene and began gathering information from people living and working in the surrounding area. Koli’s family members in Almora have also been informed about his death.

Koli was a resident of Mangrukhal village in the Bhikiyasain area of Almora district.

City Kotwal Kundan Singh Rana confirmed the identity of the deceased as Surendra Koli, who had been an accused in the Nithari case. Police said all aspects of the incident were being investigated.

Post-Mortem to Establish Exact Cause of Death

Police officials said the exact circumstances surrounding Koli’s death would be established through the ongoing investigation and post-mortem examination.

The authorities are examining the circumstances that led to the incident and are questioning people in the surrounding area as part of the probe.

Supreme Court Had Acquitted Koli in Nithari Cases

Koli’s name became associated with the Nithari killings after the case came to light in 2006 following the disappearance of minors and the discovery of human remains in a drain outside businessman Mohinder Singh Pandher’s home in Noida’s Sector 31. The property became widely known as the “House of Horrors”.

The investigation involved allegations concerning the abduction and killing of children and young women, along with allegations of rape, cannibalism and organ theft. A total of 19 cases were lodged against Koli and Pandher in 2007.

Koli, a domestic worker, and his employer Pandher were initially convicted in the cases. The CBI filed closure reports in three cases citing insufficient evidence.

Koli was subsequently acquitted in several cases during the prolonged legal proceedings. In July 2025, the Supreme Court upheld his acquittal in 12 cases related to the Nithari killings.

In November 2025, the Supreme Court also allowed his curative petition in the final pending case, setting aside his conviction and directing his immediate release. With that order, Koli stood acquitted in all the Nithari cases against him.

Koli had spent years in custody during the legal proceedings before his eventual acquittals. His death in Haridwar has now prompted a fresh police investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.