Archive · 18 Sep 2026
Surendra Koli Found Hanging at Haridwar Tea Stall
Surendra Koli was found dead at his tea stall in Haridwar.
Police found a rope around his neck and another part tied to a ceiling fan.
They think he may have died by suicide, but they have not reached a final conclusion.
The rope may have broken after his death, causing his body to fall.
No suicide note was found.
Police sent his body for a post-mortem examination.
Koli had once been convicted in cases connected to the Nithari killings.
Courts later acquitted him in all 13 cases.
The Supreme Court said serious suspicion cannot replace reliable proof in a criminal case.
Surendra Koli was found hanging inside his tea stall in Haridwar’s Saptarishi area.
Police said a rope was tied around his neck and another section was attached to a ceiling fan.
Authorities suspect suicide but said the cause of death will be determined after a post-mortem examination.
No suicide note was found, and police said they are investigating the circumstances from all angles.
Koli had been acquitted in all 13 Nithari-related cases, including the final case by the Supreme Court in 2025.
- Who
- Surendra Koli, formerly associated with the Nithari killings, was found dead.
- What
- He was found hanging inside a tea stall; police are investigating the cause of death.
- When
- The body was discovered around 11 am on Friday, September 18, according to the report.
- Where
- At Koli’s rented tea stall in the Saptarishi area of Haridwar, opposite Lalmata Temple.
- Why
- Police suspect suicide, but the definitive cause is pending the post-mortem report.
Initial Police Suspicion
Investigative and Legal Caution
Cause of death
Initial Police Suspicion
Police said the circumstances appeared consistent with suicide, noting the rope around Koli’s neck and its connection to the ceiling fan.
Investigative and Legal Caution
Police said the matter was being investigated from all angles and that a definitive cause could be established only after the post-mortem examination.
Nithari convictions
Initial Police Suspicion
Koli had previously been treated as the sole convicted person in the Nithari cases.
Investigative and Legal Caution
The Supreme Court overturned the final conviction, stating that suspicion cannot replace proof beyond a reasonable doubt and that the actual perpetrator had not been established to the required legal standard.
- Location
- Saptarishi area, Haridwar
- Discovery time
- Around 11 am on Friday, September 18
- Police finding
- A rope was found around Koli’s neck, with another section tied to a ceiling fan
- Suicide note
- None was recovered
- Nithari acquittals
- Koli was acquitted in all 13 related cases
- Final acquittal
- The Supreme Court acquitted him in the final case in 2025
- Post-mortem
- The body was sent for examination