Haridwar, Surendra Koli, the prime accused in the 2006 Nithari serial killings, was cremated here on Saturday in the presence of his family members, police said.
Subsequently, his last rites were held at the Kharkhari cremation ground. Police suspect that he may have hanged himself, saying they are waiting for the post-mortem report. The police had found that Surendra had been living in Haridwar under a false identity for the past four to five months. It is alleged that Surendra had rented the tea stall from a man named Anil Sharma just four days prior to his death, using the alias ‘Sadaram’. It was only after his death that a police search uncovered his Aadhaar card and voter ID, revealing his true identity.
His body was handed to his family following a post-mortem examination, according to the police. Haridwar’s Deputy Superintendent of Police , Shishupal Singh Negi, told PTI that an investigation into Surendra’s activities since his arrival in Haridwar has also been initiated.
Dharmendra Kaushik, a local who helped Surendra secure the shop, claimed that the 50-year-old accused had spoken to his family over the phone a day before his death.
Speaking to reporters after the last rites, Narayan Singh Rawat demanded an impartial police investigation, saying that it must be ascertained whether Koli committed suicide or if it was a case of murder.
