Surendra Koli, the man acquitted in all 13 Nithari-related cases, was found hanging at his rented tea stall in Haridwar. Police said the death appeared prima facie to be a suicide and that they are investigating. But not everyone accepts that version.
Jhabbu Lal, whose 15-year-old daughter was among the Nithari victims, has rejected the suicide theory. He alleged that Koli was murdered. His daughter was one of the young victims of the 2006 Nithari killings.
Nithari Case: Why the Father Rejects the Suicide Claim
Jhabbu Lal's objection is direct. He does not believe Koli took his own life. According to his statement, Koli was killed. This claim now sits against the police position that the death appeared prima facie to be suicide.
The two versions do not match. One says Koli died by his own hand. The other says he was murdered. Police have said they are investigating, which means the question is still open on paper.
Surendra Koli's Acquittal and the Nithari Case Background
Koli's story had already taken a sharp turn before his death. He spent years on death row after convictions in several Nithari cases. Then the Supreme Court acquitted him in the final case in 2025.
The court stressed that suspicion cannot substitute for proof beyond reasonable doubt. That line matters here. It was the legal reason Koli walked free after years in prison.
- Koli was acquitted in all 13 Nithari-related cases
- He had spent years on death row after convictions in several of those cases
- The Supreme Court acquitted him in the final case in 2025
- He was found hanging at a rented tea stall in Haridwar
- Police said the death appeared prima facie to be suicide
What Happens Next in the Surendra Koli Death Case
Police have not closed the matter. They said they are investigating the death. Jhabbu Lal's allegation adds a second track to that investigation — not just how Koli died, but whether someone else was involved.
For now, there is no confirmed answer. The police version points to suicide. The victim's father points to murder. Both cannot be true.
Our Take: Why This Death Needs a Clear Answer
In our view, this case cannot be left to competing statements. A man who was acquitted in every Nithari case is now dead, and the father of one of the victims says he was killed. That is a serious claim and it deserves a serious answer.
To put it plainly, the police saying a death "appeared prima facie to be suicide" is a starting point, not a conclusion. If the investigation is done properly and the findings are made public, the doubt raised by Jhabbu Lal can be settled one way or the other. If it is not, the suspicion will only grow.
For readers, the takeaway is simple. Do not treat either version as final yet. The police have an open investigation, and a grieving father has made a direct allegation. The facts will decide which one holds.
