Surinder Koli, acquitted in Nithari killing case, found hanging in Haridwar

NEW DELHI Surinder Koli, acquitted in the Nithari serial killing case that shocked the country, was found hanging in Haridwar. The Allahabad High Court acquitted him in 2023, and the Supreme Court acquitted him last year. Koli, 50, had been running a tea shop in Haridwar. His body was found hanging inside the shop. The Haridwar police have launched an investigation into the incident.

The Allahabad High Court acquitted Koli and another accused, Moninder Singh Pandher, citing lack of evidence. The case involved allegations that women and children were sexually assaulted, murdered and buried in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Koli was the main accused in the case. The high court acquitted him in 12 cases and co-accused Moninder Singh Pandher in two cases. The death penalty awarded by the trial court was also cancelled. The Supreme Court had last year acquitted Koli in the 13th and final case against him.

The case that shocked the country came to light after human remains, including those of children, were found in a drain behind a bungalow in Sector 31 near Nithari village in Noida during 2005–2006. The bungalow belonged to Moninder Singh Pandher. Koli worked as a helper in Pandher’s house. The case is that Koli would lure children and women to the house, and then the two sexually abuse and murder them. Police reports stated that the bodies of the children were dismembered and dumped in the drain to destroy evidence.

The investigating agencies levelled serious allegations against the accused, including murder, dismemberment and cannibalism. Police had also concluded that a series of killings had taken place. The CBI then took over the investigation. In 2007, the CBI filed 19 cases against Pandher and Koli. Koli had confessed to sexually assaulting victims and consuming parts of their bodies. Both were convicted in a case involving the rape and murder of a 20-year-old woman.