After acquittal in Nithari case, Surendra Koli was approached by documentary makers, faced financial crunch

Surendra Koli, 53, was found dead inside a tea stall in Bhupatwala, Haridwar, on Friday. Police believe he died by suicide, but his brother, Chandan Koli, suspects foul play. Koli had been living inside the tea stall days before his death. Before his passing, Koli had rented the tea stall using his friend Dharmender Kaushik's identity documents.

Koli had been seeking financial assistance for the last few days as he was struggling to make ends meet. According to Narayan Singh Rawat, a resident of Almora who knew Koli for around 15 years, Koli had been reaching out to him for money in the days leading up to his death. Rawat had sent Koli money whenever he needed it. On Thursday night, Kaushik also contacted Rawat, expressing concern about Koli's distress and his inability to make calls due to insufficient phone balance. Koli was found dead the following morning.