# Nithari case accused Surendra Koli found dead in Haridwar 2026-09-19T04:33:45+00:00 | India | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 3 independent outlets Surendra Koli, the prime accused in the 2006 Nithari serial killings who was acquitted by the Supreme Court in all 13 cases and released in November 2025, was found dead in his tea stall in Haridwar on Friday. Police said his body was hanging from a rope, but no suicide note was recovered. He was around 50. Koli, who had spent nearly 19 years in jail, was working as a tea seller under the alias Sada Ram. He had rented the stall days ago for Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 a month. Police are awaiting the post-mortem report to determine the cause of death and have informed his relatives in Almora. An activist who helped Koli told Times of India that Koli had complained of harassment over money in recent days and sounded disturbed. Koli's younger brother said he was unaware of any reason for suicide. Police are investigating all angles. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Republic World and Hindustan Times led with the factual suicide and acquittal timeline, neutral in tone. Times of India added the activist's claim of harassment by a person linked to a political outfit, introducing a potential conspiracy angle the other outlets omitted. All three report the same core facts. The harassment claim is unsupported by police, who are awaiting the post-mortem. The key question is whether the post-mortem or further investigation corroborates the activist's account. The post-mortem report, expected in coming days, will be the first concrete check on whether the death was suicide or something else. ## Coverage - republicworld.com (neutral report) Straight factual reporting of suicide, acquittal timeline, and police investigation. - hindustantimes.com (neutral report) Detailed but neutral account of death, past case, and post-mortem pending. - timesofindia.indiatimes.com (sensationalist) Leads with 'double life' and activist's unverified harassment claim, framing drama. Tags: Haridwar, Moninder Singh Pandher, Nithari killings, Supreme Court, Surendra Koli Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/nithari-case-accused-surendra-koli-dies-by-suicide-in-haridwar/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/nithari-case-accused-surendra-koli-dies-by-suicide-in-haridwar/#story-in-brief