Surendra Koli, acquitted in Nithari cases, found dead in Haridwar tea stall

ElevenAM Desk | Haridwar | 19 September 2026 | 4:00 PM IST

Surendra Koli, whose name became nationally known through the Nithari killings case and who was subsequently acquitted in all the cases against him, has been found dead at a tea stall in Haridwar, police said. His body has been sent for post-mortem examination as investigators work to establish the circumstances of his death.

Koli had spent nearly two decades in prison before his acquittal. After his release, he had reportedly been living in Haridwar under a different name and taking up small jobs before starting a tea stall only days before his death.

Police have indicated that the available circumstances point towards suicide, but the final conclusion will depend on the post-mortem findings and the investigation. Authorities have not ruled on the cause of death pending the medical report.

The development has revived public attention around the Nithari case, which shocked the country after human remains were discovered near a house in Noida in 2006. The investigation and subsequent trials continued for years and produced a complicated legal history involving convictions, appeals and eventual acquittals.

Koli’s convictions were overturned over the course of legal proceedings, culminating in his acquittal in the remaining case. His release raised difficult questions about the years he had spent incarcerated and the evidentiary standards applied during the long-running prosecution.

His death has also prompted fresh speculation and claims from individuals connected with the original case. Police, however, will need to distinguish such allegations from evidence gathered at the scene and from the medical examination.

The post-mortem report is expected to be central to determining whether there is any basis for investigating foul play. Until that process is complete, the circumstances of Koli’s death remain formally under examination.