The Allahabad High Court, on Monday delivered a verdict in the highly-publicized Nithari murder case in Noida, acquitting Surendra Koli and Moninder Singh Pandher, who were initially found guilty. It's worth noting that both accused had earlier been sentenced to death in this case, a sentence that has now been revoked by the High Court.
Victims' families fume over HC verdict
Following the court's decision, while the accused are relieved that their punishment has been overturned, the victim's families are expressing their displeasure. Meanwhile, in the midst of these developments, Harsh's father, Ramkishan, arrived in the Nithari village and protested by throwing stones at the D-5 residence of Moninder Singh Pandher. According to reports, Harsh was kidnapped at the age of 3, and it was only during the revelation of the Nithari Serial Killing case that his demise was confirmed.
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On the other hand, an aggrieved woman, expressing her dissatisfaction with the High Court's verdict, pleaded with folded hands, saying, "I pray that these two culprits receive the same punishment as they inflicted upon our daughters. There should be no stay on the death penalty for the accused." It's reported that this woman's 10-year-old minor daughter went missing in the Nithari case.
Sensational 2006 Nithari Killings Case
Bodies of multiple victims were found from the backyard of Moninder Singh Pandher's house in Nithari village in Noida in Uttar Pradesh in 2006. The recovery of the bodies had sent shockwaves across the country. The investigation in the case of a missing woman had led to a search in the area behind Pandher's house in which the Noida Police had recovered skeletal remains.
The sensational killings came to light with the discovery of eight skeletal remains of children from the drain behind Pandher's house on December 29, 2006. Pandher and Koli were arrested by the Noida Police.
With further digging and searching of drains and the area around Pandher's house, more skeletal remains were found. Most of these remains proved to be that of poor children and young women who had gone missing from the area. During police interrogation, Koli had reportedly agreed to killing and cannibalism as sensational details of the case had made headlines back in the day.
