Surendra Koli, Main Accused In 2006 Nithari Serial Killings Case, Dies By Suicide In His Haridwar Tea Shop

Surendra Koli, one of the main accused in the 2006 Nithari serial killings case in Noida, died by suicide in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, on Friday, September 18, 2026. Koli, who had spent nearly two decades in prison in connection with the case before being acquitted by the Supreme Court in November 2025, was found hanging inside a tea stall where he had been working for the past few days.

According to media reports, Koli’s body was found hanging from a rope inside a tea kiosk opposite Lalmata Temple on Sapt Sarovar Road in the Bhupatwala area of Haridwar. Police from the Sapt Rishi outpost reached the spot after receiving information about the incident. He was reportedly identified using his Aadhaar card, following which his relatives were informed.

Police have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death and are examining all possible angles. Preliminary reports have suggested a possible family-related issue, but the exact reason behind the suicide has not yet been established.

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Supreme Court Acquitted Koli In Final Pending Case

Koli remained in prison for nearly 19 years as his convictions were challenged before higher courts. In October 2023, the Allahabad High Court acquitted him in 12 cases, pointing to serious shortcomings in the investigation and questions over the reliability and admissibility of key evidence. The Supreme Court dismissed appeals challenging those acquittals in July 2025.

However, Koli continued to remain behind bars because of his conviction in the case involving the rape and murder of teenager Rimpa Haldar. His death sentence in that case had earlier been commuted to life imprisonment in 2015 by the Allahabad High Court after it noted the prolonged delay in deciding his mercy petition.

In November 2025, the Supreme Court allowed Koli’s curative petition and set aside his conviction in the final pending case. A bench headed by then Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, along with Justices Surya Kant and Vikram Nath, ordered his release if he was not wanted in any other case. The court held that the prosecution evidence, including Koli’s confession and alleged recoveries, could not sustain the conviction.

The Supreme Court also noted serious procedural and evidentiary shortcomings in the investigation. Among the issues highlighted were Koli’s prolonged police custody, the manner in which his confession was recorded and the lack of a credible evidentiary chain linking him to the crimes. The court stressed that suspicion, however serious, cannot replace proof beyond reasonable doubt.

Nearly Two Decades After Nithari Case

The Nithari killings came to light on December 29, 2006, after skeletal remains of children were discovered in a drain behind Pandher’s house in Nithari. Subsequent searches led to the recovery of more remains, with police registering 19 FIRs in connection with alleged crimes involving 19 victims. Koli and Pandher were arrested the same month, and the CBI subsequently took over the investigation.

Koli eventually walked out of jail in November 2025 after the Supreme Court acquitted him in the last case pending against him. Less than a year later, his death by suicide in Haridwar has brought a new and unexpected development to one of the country's most closely followed criminal cases. The circumstances leading to his death remain under investigation.