- Surendra Koli died by suicide at a Haridwar tea stall.
- He claimed blackmail and harassment from the shop owner.
- Police are investigating his recent movements and phone calls.
Surender Koli, who allegedly died by suicide at a tea stall in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar, made a call to one of his known acquaintances, saying that the shop owner was harassing him for money. Koli, who was the prime accused for the Nithari killings, was acquitted of all the charges in the Supreme Court in November 2025.
On September 17, Koli contacted District Panchayat member Narayan Singh Rawat, who is a close acquaintance, informing him that he was blackmailed. Rawat has been a family friend and has been providing financial assistance to Kohli and his family for a long time. Koli on the phone call alleged that he was being blackmailed by a farmer who had provided him with a stall, had increased the rent and was pressuring him to pay.
Suicide Remains A Mystery
Koli had been living separately from his family and had reportedly arrived in Haridwar around three days ago to work at the tea shop. The shop itself was reportedly owned by someone else, and Koli had come there for work. Police have so far contacted his brother and are continuing to gather details about his movements and the circumstances leading up to his death.
Investigations so far have revealed that a few days ago, he operated a tea stall in the SIDCUL under the name “Sadaram”. Surendra Koli later went to Dehradun to work. Two months ago, he returned to Haridwar and rented a tea stall in Bhupatwala.
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The shop owner named Rajiv revealed that he was unaware of the fact that Koli was the accused in the Nithari killings. Neighbours told the police that Surendra's behaviour was completely normal.
The Nithari case came to light in 2006 when skeletal remains, skulls and bones were discovered from the backyard and drains near a bungalow (D-5) belonging to Pandher in Sector 31, Noida.