Surinder Koli, Acquitted in Nithari Serial Killings, Dies by Suicide in Haridwar

Surinder Koli, the primary accused in the 2006 Nithari serial killings who was acquitted by the Supreme Court last year, was found dead on Friday morning at a tea stall in Haridwar. Local police reported that Koli, 50, died by suicide by hanging inside the kiosk located on Sapt Sarovar Road near the Lal Mata Temple. No suicide note was recovered from the scene.

Koli had been living in Haridwar for several months, where he had worked as a security guard before recently renting the tea stall. His death follows a lengthy legal battle surrounding the Nithari serial killings, a case that gained national attention after skeletal remains of eight children were discovered in a drain behind the Noida residence of businessman Moninder Singh Pandher in 2006. Koli and Pandher were the central figures accused in the investigation.

While Koli was initially convicted in one of the Nithari cases, the Allahabad High Court acquitted him in 12 other cases in October 2023. The Supreme Court subsequently dismissed appeals against those acquittals in July 2025. On November 11, 2025, the Supreme Court allowed Koli's curative petition in the final remaining case, setting aside his conviction and ordering his immediate release, provided he was not wanted in any other legal matter.

Haridwar police, led by City Kotwali SHO Kundan Singh Rana, arrived at the scene around 11 am on Friday after receiving reports of the incident. Authorities have initiated an investigation into the circumstances of his death. Preliminary assessments by the police suggest that family disputes may have been a contributing factor, though officials emphasized that the inquiry is ongoing. Koli's family in his native village of Mangrukhal, located in the Bhikiasain area of Almora, has been notified of the incident. The police have not disclosed further details regarding the timeline of his final hours or any potential witnesses to the event.