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Surendra Koli cremated, police begin probe into his activities in Haridwar
Surendra Koli cremated, police begin probe into his activities in Haridwar
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Haridwar, Surendra Koli, the prime accused in the 2006 Nithari serial killings, was cremated here on Saturday in the presence of his family members, police said.
According to the police, his body was handed to his family following a post-mortem examination. Subsequently, his last rites were held at the Kharkhari cremation ground.
Among those present at the cremation ground were Surendra's brother, Harish Koli, 20-year-old son, Shivam, and former member of the zila panchayat, Narayan Singh Rawat. Surendra was found hanging in his tea stall in Haridwar on Friday.
Police suspect that he may have hanged himself, saying they are waiting for the post-mortem report.
Speaking to reporters after the last rites, Narayan Singh Rawat demanded an impartial police investigation, saying that it must be ascertained whether Koli committed suicide or if it was a case of murder.
Haridwar's Deputy Superintendent of Police , Shishupal Singh Negi, told PTI that an investigation into Surendra's activities since his arrival in Haridwar has also been initiated.
The police had found that Surendra had been living in Haridwar under a false identity for the past four to five months.
During this time, he worked as a security guard at two or three locations but kept changing jobs out of fear that his true identity would be exposed when asked to provide identification documents.
Negi said that those who employed Surendra and also helped him rent a tea shop are also being questioned.
It is alleged that Surendra had rented the tea stall from a man named Anil Sharma just four days prior to his death, using the alias 'Sadaram'. It was only after his death that a police search uncovered his Aadhaar card and voter ID, revealing his true identity.
Police have also denied reports of any dispute between Sharma and Surendra over the shop.
Dharmendra Kaushik, a local who helped Surendra secure the shop, claimed that the 50-year-old accused had spoken to his family over the phone a day before his death.
He further said that Surendra was stressed about his son's birthday and had even argued with his family members during the call.
The Nithari case gained national attention in 2006 when skeletal remains, skulls, and bones were discovered in the backyard and drainage near a bungalow owned by businessman Moninder Singh Pandher in Sector 31, Uttar Pradesh's Noida.
Surendra had worked as a domestic help at Pandher's Noida residence.
Surendra was the only convict in the case and was ultimately acquitted by the Supreme Court in 2025 in the last of the Nithari cases. This was the 13th case in which he was acquitted.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
