The father of a Nithari case victim has questioned the death of Surendra Koli, alleging he was murdered and did not die by suicide. Koli, who was acquitted in all Nithari cases, was found hanging in Haridwar. Police are investigating, while the victim's father claims Koli was about to reveal important information and points to Moninder Singh Pandher as the main culprit.
A state-wide bandh was observed across Punjab on Thursday following the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa. Markets and educational institutions remained shut, and roads were blocked by protesters, disrupting traffic. Jhota was shot on Tuesday for questioning the illegal sale of addictive drugs. His family, supported by various political parties and farmer unions, has refused to perform his last rites until justice is delivered, demanding resignations of top officials and a CBI probe. The incident has intensified the political debate on drug menace and law and order in Punjab.
A 'Punjab Bandh' was observed on Thursday, leading to widespread closures of shops and private schools and road blockades across several districts, following the murder of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa on Tuesday. Jhota was shot by a chemist owner for questioning the sale of addictive drugs. The incident has triggered significant political backlash against the Aam Aadmi Party government, with various organisations and opposition parties demanding accountability and a CBI probe.
Surendra Koli, who was at the centre of the sensational Nithari killings and subsequently acquitted in all 13 cases, was found hanging at his tea stall in Haridwar, police confirmed, with investigations ongoing into the suspected suicide.
Indian farmers staged a significant protest at the Shambhu border against a proposed India-US trade deal, fearing its detrimental effects on the domestic agricultural sector and demanding its immediate abandonment. They later ended their agitation after assurances from the Haryana Agriculture Minister regarding the release of detained farmers and a meeting with the Union Agriculture Minister.
The two were charged with rape and murder and sentenced to death by a lower court in the killings in Nithari, Noida, that horrified the nation with the details of sexual assault, brutal murder and hints of possible cannibalism.
The Supreme Court of India has acquitted Surendra Koli in one of the Nithari murder cases, paving the way for his release. Koli was earlier acquitted in other Nithari killing cases.
A 71-year-old US citizen of Indian origin was murdered in Ludhiana, India, allegedly at the behest of a UK-based NRI man she was to marry. The victim was bludgeoned to death, her body burnt, and dumped in a drain.
A CBI official in New Delhi said the team was waiting for the judgment copy and would take a call on next steps after studying it.
A 71-year-old US citizen of Indian origin was allegedly killed shortly after arriving in Ludhiana to marry a 75-year-old UK-based NRI. Police suspect the groom orchestrated the murder for financial gain.
Surendra Koli, accused in the infamous Nithari serial killings, has been released from the Luksar district jail in Greater Noida, a day after the Supreme Court acquitted him in the last pending case linked to the 2006 serial murders that had shocked the nation, officials said on Thursday.
The Supreme Court expressed deep regret that the actual perpetrator of the Nithari killings was not established despite a prolonged investigation, while acquitting Surendra Koli in the last Nithari murder case.
Pandher and Koli were held guilty of kidnapping, rape and murder in the case
Punjab farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said no 'jatha' (group) of farmers will resume their foot march to Delhi on Tuesday. The farmers suspended their march after some were injured in teargas shelling by Haryana security personnel. Pandher accused the Centre of being confused on how the protesters should proceed to the national capital, citing contradictory statements from different ministers. He also criticized the government's lack of response to the hunger strike of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, which has entered its 14th day.
Describing Moninder Singh Pandher as "innocent", family members of the businessman accused media of influencing a special CBI court's verdict which found entrepreneur and his servant Surinder Koli guilty in the murder and rape of a 14-year-old girl.
Punjab farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said on Saturday that they have not received any message from the Centre for talks to address their issues and said a group of 101 farmers will again begin their march to Delhi on December 8.
Provincial Armed Constabulary personnel were deployed and barricades have been put up on the road leading to the D-5 residence of Pandher.
Pandher, in his fifties, fainted after the attack by lawyers, who were joined by the public in the assault, enraged over the grisly killings at his Noida residence.
J P Sharma, the special public prosecutor who argued the case before the trial court that convicted Pandher and his domestic help Surinder Kohli, explains rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa about the circumstances that may have led to the acquittal of Pandher.
At least 17 human skulls and bones were dug up from near the house of Pandher in Noida's Sector 31 in December last year. Co-accused Surindra Koli is reported to have confessed to the CBI to most of the crimes while the agency has not charged Pandher with the kidnapping and murder of the children and women, including Payal, an alleged sex worker.
A special CBI court in Ghaziabad on Thursday chargesheeted the prime accused in Nithari serial killings case, Mohinder Singh Pandher for the rape and murder of two teenagers.
The Uttar Pradesh police on Monday searched the Chandigarh residence of Moninder Singh Pandher, who along with his servant, allegedly sexually abused children and murdered them in Noida.
Rimpa's father, Anil Haldar, through the petition, demanded that Pandher be booked under Sec 302 (murder), 376 (rape) and 212 of Indian Penal Code.
A team of the Uttar Pradesh police on Tuesday searched the ancestral house of Moninder Singh Pandher in Lohat Baddi village, 62 km from Ludhiana.
The protestors broke the security barricades, pelted stones at the house and set on fire the effigies of Pandher and Surinder as a handful of Uttar Pradesh policemen looked on.
The apex court in May agreed to hear a plea filed by the father of one of the victims challenging the high court's order acquitting Koli in the case.
A group of 101 farmers will march to Delhi on Friday from the Shambhu border protest site, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher has said. The march will begin at 1 p.m. and the group will face heavy police and security presence. The farmers are demanding a legal guarantee for minimum support price of crops, a farm debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence. The farmers have been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 after their march to Delhi was stopped by security forces.
Locals gathered in front of house number D-45 in Sector 31 of Noida soon after the verdict was pronounced and shouted slogans against police and the Central Bureau of Investigation. Rimpa's mother Dolly Halder was also among the protestors.
A group of 101 farmers resumed their foot march to Delhi on Sunday to press the Centre for various demands, including a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP). However, they were stopped at the barricading by Haryana Police who cited a prohibitory order clamped by the Ambala administration. The farmers have been pressing for various demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP, a farm debt waiver, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases (against farmers), and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence. Reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 and compensation to the families of farmers who died during the previous agitation in 2020-21 are also part of their demands.
Two years after the ghastly killing of children and women in Nithari came to light, a special court on Thursday awarded death penalty for businessman Moninder Singh Pandher and his servant Surendra Koli for rape and murder. While Koli was found guilty by the court under various sections of Indian Penal Code for murder and rape, Pandher was convicted on the same charges along with Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy).
Punjab Police detained several farmer leaders, including Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, while they were returning from a meeting with a central delegation in Chandigarh. The police also began evicting protesting farmers from the Shambhu and Khanauri border points, which have been closed for over a year. The action comes amid concerns from industrialists in Punjab over the prolonged closure of the border points, which they say has resulted in heavy losses. The meeting between the farmer leaders and the central delegation, led by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, was inconclusive, but the next meeting is scheduled for May 4.
Metal debris was found scattered in three villages of Amritsar district, with some locals claiming them to be parts of missiles. Police are investigating the objects, while the Indian government claims to have foiled Pakistan military's attempts to attack 15 places in northern and western India using missiles and drones. Tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated after India launched missile strikes on terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 killing of 26 people by terrorists in Kashmir's Pahalgam.
The main accused in the Nithari serial murder cases Moninder Singh Pandher, and his co-accused Surinder Koli found guilty of murder and rape in one case by special judge Rama Jain.
The action came after a 'jatha' of 101 farmers, who resumed their foot march to Delhi shortly after 12 noon on Saturday from the Shambhu protest site on the Punjab-Haryana border, reached the barricades put up by the Haryana security personnel.
Security of Dasna jail, where Pandher and Koli are lodged, has been heightened.
Additional District Judge Rama Jain rejected the plea against CBI on the ground that Pandher was away in Chandigarh from his house in Noida when the alleged kidnapping, rape and murder of Payal took place.
The order was passed by Special CBI Judge Rama Jain in connection with kidnapping and murder of a 21-year-old woman following an application by the victim's father questioning the move of the CBI in not charging Pandher with murder.
CBI sources said the polygraph test was necessitated after she continuously changed her statements.
Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who was on an indefinite hunger strike in support of various demands, has broken his fast after the Punjab government intervened and dispersed protesting farmers at Khanauri and Shambhu borders. The Supreme Court lauded Dallewal's efforts and acknowledged the government's action, while also asking for a status report on the situation. Contempt proceedings against the Punjab chief secretary and Director General of Police for not complying with the court's order of providing medical aid to Dallewal were dropped.
The Allahabad high court on Friday acquitted businessman Moninder Singh Pandher in one of the Nithari serial killing cases, setting aside the death sentence awarded to him by a lower court, but upheld the capital punishment handed down to his domestic help Surinder Koli
