The father of a victim in the 2006 Nithari serial killings case on Friday questioned the death of Surendra Koli, who was found hanging at his tea stall in Uttarakhand's Haridwar, alleging that he was murdered and did not die by suicide.

Jhabbu Lal's daughter went missing in the summer of 2005, and her skeletal remains were recovered in 2006, adding her to the list of victims in the infamous case.

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"He Was About To Disclose Some Important Information"

Lal speculated that Koli was about to disclose some important information about the Nithari case and suggested that this could have led to his death.

"Surendra Koli has been murdered; he has not died by suicide," news agency PTI quoted Lal as saying. "He would have been about to disclose some important information. That is why he has been killed."

Questions Over Timing Of Koli's Death

The victim's father stated that it was difficult for him to understand why Koli would take such an extreme step after spending several months outside prison following his release.

"If he had died by suicide in jail, it could be understood that he was depressed. But he took his life after being released and spending several months outside? This raises questions," Lal said.

Lal further claimed that Koli was not the main culprit, asserting that businessman Moninder Singh Pandher was the main accused.

"He should be hanged," Lal said.

"If the government helps us, only then will we be able to continue our fight in future. We can’t fight on our own," he added.

Lal and his wife, Sunita (61), originally from Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district, moved to Nithari around four decades ago in search of work, where Lal earned a livelihood by ironing clothes for local residents. The couple has spent nearly two decades seeking justice for their daughter.

2006 Nithari Serial Killings

The Nithari serial killings case came to light in December 2006 after skeletal remains, skulls, and bones were recovered from the backyard and drains of a bungalow owned by Moninder Singh Pandher in Sector 31, Noida. Several children and young women had gone missing from the area.

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Surendra Koli, who was employed as a domestic help at Pandher's residence, was arrested in connection with the cases. He was subsequently convicted and sentenced to death in several matters arising from the Nithari killings. However, Koli was subsequently acquitted in all 13 cases linked to the incident, with the Supreme Court acquitting Koli in the last remaining case against him in 2025.

While allowing his curative petition in the final case, which involved the alleged rape and murder of a 15-year-old girl, the top court held that criminal law does not permit a conviction based on conjecture or a hunch.

(With Inputs From PTI)

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