Surendra Koli, accused in the Nithari killings, died by hanging on September 18, as confirmed by a post‑mortem report released by police on Wednesday.
Haridwar City Circle Officer Shishupal Singh Negi said the report showed clear ligature marks on Koli’s neck, no other injuries, and that the rope snapped from his weight, causing a fall and subsequent bleeding from mouth and nose.
Police are investigating whether financial hardship or personal stress prompted the act. An official said Koli had borrowed Rs 5,000 to open a tea stall in Haridwar’s Saptarishi area, which he opened only three or four days before his death.
CCTV footage from the area was examined, but no suspicious activity was found. Koli had lived in difficult circumstances, changing rooms four times in a short period, and had to quit jobs because he could not provide an Aadhaar card or undergo police verification.
Koli arrived in Haridwar about a month ago after staying with lawyers and at a church in Bengaluru. His family members have questioned the circumstances of his death and demanded an impartial investigation.
The Nithari case, uncovered in 2006 after skeletal remains were found near a bungalow owned by businessman Moninder Singh Pandher, revealed the disappearance and killings of children and women. Koli worked as a domestic helper at the Pandher house. Pandher, a co‑accused, was released on October 20, 2023, after acquittal. Koli was acquitted by the Supreme Court in 2025 in the 13th Nithari case, following earlier acquittals in the 12 other cases.
