Surinder Koli & ‘Sada Ram’: How Nithari acquitted lived a double life in Haridwar
Surinder Koli, the primary accused in the Nithari murder case who was acquitted last year, has been found dead in Haridwar. He had been living under the alias 'Sada Ram' while working at a tea kiosk.
Why it matters
The case highlights the social and legal aftermath of high-profile criminal acquittals and the challenges of reintegration for the accused.
DEHRADUN: After spending nearly 19 years in prison and escaping gallows by a few hours, Surinder Koli, 53, who was once the prime accused in the infamous Nithari case, was found hanging inside his tea kiosk in Haridwar on Friday, barely five days after starting the business. Branded the "Nithari cannibal" in a case of gruesome killings of women and children that shocked the nation, Koli was acquitted by the Supreme Court last Nov, and was now living as a "free man".Police said to hide his past, Koli was probably using a "different name" in Haridwar since most of the locals knew him as "Sada Ram". After his death, police recovered his Aadhaar card which revealed his real name.On Friday morning, customers who frequented his kiosk found it shut. "They peeped inside and found him hanging from a noose.
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