Surendra Koli, who was acquitted by the Supreme Court in cases related to the Nithari case and had been living in Haridwar, will undergo a post-mortem on Saturday following his death. According to police, Koli was found hanging inside his tea shop in the Bhupatwala area of Haridwar on Friday. Police took the body into custody and sent it to the mortuary at Haridwar District Hospital. The body will be handed over to the family after the post-mortem. Police are currently investigating the circumstances of his death. The preliminary investigation indicates possible suicide, but the actual cause and sequence of events can be confirmed only after the post-mortem report and police investigation.
After receiving information about Koli's death, family members began arriving in Haridwar. His brother Harish has also reached Haridwar. The post-mortem will be conducted in the presence of the family, after which the body will be taken for cremation. According to available information, Koli will be cremated at Kharkhari cremation ground. The incident came suddenly for the family as Koli had only recently begun trying to resume a normal life after spending a long period in jail in connection with the Nithari case.
Surendra Koli was originally from Mangrukhal village in the Syalde area of Almora district, Uttarakhand. He was the second of four brothers. According to reports, his elder brother Chandan Ram Koli and younger brother Harish Koli live in Delhi, while his youngest brother Anand Ram Koli lives with his family in the Masi area. After information about the family emerged, his brothers left for Haridwar. With Harish now in Haridwar, the family will take part in the cremation process.
According to police, Koli had been living in Haridwar for some time. He had started a small tea shop in the Sapt Sarovar area on Bhupatwala Road. Reports say he had been living there for about a month, while another report stated that he had started the shop only a few days earlier. He was living in Haridwar under the name ‘Sada Ram’, and some people in the area were reportedly unaware of his previous identity.
The shop did not open on Friday morning, prompting people in the area to become suspicious. His acquaintance Dharmendra Kaushik reached the shop and checked the situation. According to reports, when the shop shutter was opened at around 10:30 am, Koli's body was found hanging inside. Police were subsequently informed. A police team reached the spot, took the body into custody and began the necessary proceedings. No information about a suicide note has emerged from the scene.
Police are also investigating Koli's circumstances before his death. His acquaintance told the media that Koli had been troubled for some time. One report also stated that he had an argument with family members over the phone a day before his death. However, it is not clear what the conversation was about. Police are examining such information and may question the people concerned.
Police have not reached a final conclusion regarding the circumstances of the death. Suicide is being considered as a preliminary possibility, but the official cause of death can be established only after the post-mortem and investigation. Police are examining evidence found at the scene, surrounding circumstances and information obtained from people who had been in contact with the deceased. The post-mortem report will also be an important part of the investigation.
Surendra Koli's name remained in the public domain for a long period following the Nithari case. In December 2006, the disappearance of several children and women and the recovery of human remains in the Nithari area of Noida brought the case into national focus. Koli was arrested in connection with the case and faced several trials. The cases subsequently went through a lengthy legal process, and he was eventually acquitted in cases related to the Nithari case.
After being acquitted by the Supreme Court, Koli tried to start a new life after his release from prison. According to reports, he was released from prison in November 2025 and later reached Haridwar. There, he began living under the name ‘Sada Ram’ and started running a tea shop. His acquaintances said he was also trying to find employment.
Reports have also stated that Koli had spent around 21 years in jail. After being released following such a long period, he faced the challenge of starting a normal life. In Haridwar, he tried to move forward with his life through a small shop. His death was reported only a short time after he started the shop.
The condition of his ancestral house in Almora also reflects changes in the family's circumstances. According to a report, his old house in Mangrukhal village has now turned into a ruin. After his release from prison, he had visited his village once. According to family members, their lives had also changed considerably because of his long period in jail and the circumstances that followed.
The post-mortem at Haridwar District Hospital on Saturday is expected to provide information related to the cause of death. Medical examination during the post-mortem will help establish the cause of death and related circumstances. Police will proceed with the investigation after receiving the report. If the post-mortem report indicates any abnormal circumstances, the police investigation may proceed in that direction.
The cremation process will also be completed after the family reaches Haridwar. According to available information, Koli will be cremated at Kharkhari cremation ground. Family members and acquaintances will be present, and the cremation will be conducted according to religious customs.
At present, the police investigation is focused on events before Koli's death, the circumstances at the scene and people who had been in contact with him. The absence of information about a suicide note has also been noted. Circumstantial evidence and the post-mortem report are therefore important to the investigation. Police may independently examine claims regarding his reported conversation with family members a day before his death and information about his circumstances before the incident.
Following Koli's death, his previous legal history related to the Nithari cases has also come under discussion. However, the current incident cannot appropriately be linked to his earlier cases to draw any conclusion. He had been acquitted in cases related to Nithari. His death in Haridwar is now the subject of a separate police investigation, and a final conclusion regarding its cause can be reached only after the investigation is completed.
The family is currently in Haridwar for the post-mortem and cremation procedures. Police have kept the body in the mortuary and are completing the necessary legal proceedings. The post-mortem report will help determine the direction of the police investigation and establish the circumstances in which Surendra Koli died. The remaining questions related to the case can be officially addressed only after that process.
