After Nithari Acquittal, Surendra Koli Rented Tea Stall As ‘Sada Ram’, Claimed Govt Job

Surendra Koli, who was acquitted by the Supreme Court in the last remaining Nithari killings case in November 2025, had identified himself as “Sada Ram” while renting a tea stall in Haridwar’s Kumbh Mela area, the stall owner said, hours after Koli was found hanging inside the kiosk on Friday morning.

Koli Told Stall Owner He Worked In Roshanabad

Anil Sharma, who had rented out the tea stall, said Koli claimed he was working with a state government enterprise in Roshanabad. Sharma subsequently rented the stall to him a few months ago for ₹7,000 a month, with an advance payment of ₹14,000.

“He told me that he wanted to shift to Haridwar city area to earn a better livelihood for his family,” Sharma said.

Locals who interacted with Koli said he had been looking forward to next year’s Ardh Kumbh fair, hoping to increase his earnings during the four-month event.

Neighbours Learned Koli’s Identity After His Death

An e-rickshaw driver, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he was the first person to discover Koli’s body at around 11 am when he went to the stall for tea.

He said people living in the neighbourhood were unaware of Koli’s past.

“Chaiwala Bhai (Koli) had started selling tea just a few days ago, but I cannot recall the exact date. Now that his identity has been revealed, all the neighbouring shopkeepers and those who used to have tea at his shop are shocked,” he said.

Koli’s Brother Says He Was Trying To Rebuild His Life

Koli’s brother Anand Koli, who lives in Almora district of Uttarakhand, said Surendra had visited the family in June and stayed with them for around two weeks.

“He was in touch with me over the phone but never spoke about his issues. He had taken up several jobs, as a security guard and labourer, mostly in and around Haridwar before opening the tea kiosk. He had told us about his effort to rebuild his life,” Anand said.

Family Home In Almora Lies In Ruins

Ishu Devi, 30, head of Mangrukhal village in Uttarakhand’s Almora district, Koli’s hometown, said his wife Shanti Devi left the village with their two children in 2010, four years after his arrest in the Nithari case.

According to Devi, the family home in the village is now in ruins, while Koli’s brother occasionally visits the area.

Villager Rajendra Lakheda, 35, said residents had respected the Supreme Court’s acquittal of Koli and had no objection to him returning to the village.

“But he never came to stay here permanently. Today, we got the news of his death,” Lakheda said.

Nithari Killings Case

The Nithari killings came to light in 2006 after skeletal remains of several children were found in a drain behind the Noida residence of businessman Moninder Singh Pandher, where Koli worked as a domestic help. Both Koli and Pandher were arrested in connection with the cases.

On November 11, 2025, the Supreme Court allowed Koli’s curative petition in the last remaining case, set aside his conviction and ordered his release forthwith if he was not wanted in any other case.