The 13 lives of Surinder Koli: ‘Butcher of Nithari’ already acquitted in 12 cases; SC clears him in Rimpa Haldar murder too | Delhi News

NEW DELHI: Surinder Koli, the accused in the 2006 Nithari serial killings and sentenced to death in 13 murder cases, is set to walk free after 19 years in prison, having narrowly escaped execution twice.Convicted by the trial court and with his appeals and review pleas dismissed by the Allahabad High Court and the Supreme Court, Koli finally secured relief through a curative petition—the final judicial remedy available to an accused seeking justice.

HC acquitted Surinder Koli in 12 cases. The Rimpa Haldar case, in which Koli’s death sentence was earlier commuted to a lifeterm by high court in 2015, was the one that kept him in jail. SC’s ruling on November 11 acquitted him in this case too.

The 13 lives of Surinder Koli:

Who is Surinder Koli?

Koli was accused of killing 13 girls and young women aged between 5 and 25, with allegations of cannibalism and necrophilia. In 2006, he was convicted and sentenced to death by the CBI trial court in Ghaziabad. Over the years, his appeals were rejected by the Allahabad High Court and the Supreme Court, and he narrowly escaped execution on multiple occasions.Life in prison was initially harsh. Fellow inmates often taunted Koli over the nature of his crimes, leading him to display volatile behavior. “He was rude, arrogant, demanding, always angry,” a jailer recalled. Koli spent much of his time preparing legal arguments, filing RTIs, and writing drafts for hearings.However, Koli’s demeanor changed over time. Following a curative petition in the Supreme Court, he became increasingly quiet and meditative. Jail officials noted that he had begun praying daily—a practice he never engaged in before—possibly reflecting a belief in his eventual acquittal.Work And Daily Life in JailTransferred to Greater Noida jail from Dasna in 2023, Koli was assigned the job of a prison guard, overseeing inmates and the mess area. He reportedly took the role seriously, earning Rs 10,000 over six months—the first wages of his life in prison.“His legal files, weighing nearly 20kg, are kept next to his bedding, but he no longer opens them,” said a jailer. Since 2023, Koli has written only two letters: one requesting clothes left behind in Dasna and another regarding a money order. No family members have visited him at Greater Noida, except for Supreme Court advocates and a single visit by his son Rudra Pratap in 2022.After 19 years in prison, Koli is preparing to start life anew. Jailers describe him as calm, disciplined, and cautious about his freedom. “He’s not the same man who came to Dasna in 2006. It seems he is waiting to start his life from scratch,” a jailer said.Surinder Koli’s release marks the end of one of India’s most infamous criminal cases, leaving the nation reflecting on both the failings of the investigation and the complexities of justice.