{
  "id": 8223564,
  "title": "Surendra Koli, accused in Nithari killings, found dead in his Haridwar tea shop",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/surendra-koli-accused-in-nithari-killings-found-dead-in-his-haridwar",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-18T10:07:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu",
    "slug": "the-hindu",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/surendra-koli-accused-in-nithari-killings-found-dead-in-his-haridwar-tea-shop/article71480104.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Surendra Koli, an accused in the Nithari killings who was previously acquitted in all 13 cases, was found deceased in his tea shop in Haridwar, Uttarakhand on September 18, 2026, according to police reports. Koli, who was previously alleged to have committed the horrific crimes in the Nithari case, was reportedly found dead at his tea stall in Haridwar Kotwali police station. The deceased, aged 40, was identified as Koli, a resident of Mangrukhal in Almora and a domestic worker for businessman Moninder Singh Pandher. The Haridwar Kotwali police station received information about Koli's death and a forensic team arrived at the scene. The police are treating the case as a potential suicide and the body is currently in police custody, with subsequent forensic examination and post-mortem to be conducted. The Nithari case, which came to light in 2006, involved the discovery of skeletal remains and bones from the backyard and drains of Pandher's bungalow in Noida. The case sparked widespread outrage and terror in the local community, leading to the arrest and subsequent acquittal of Pandher in 2023. Koli, the only convict in the Nithari case, was acquitted by the Supreme Court in 2025, the 13th case in which he was found not guilty. Despite extensive investigation, the actual perpetrator of the Nithari crimes has not been identified.",
  "summary": "Koli, who worked as a domestic help at the Noida house of businessman Moninder Singh Pandher, appears to have ended his life, says police.",
  "key_points": [
    "Surendra Koli, Nithari killings accused, found dead in Haridwar",
    "Koli, 40, identified as deceased in tea shop, Kotwali police station",
    "Police treat case as potential suicide, forensic examination pending"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}