What were the Nithari serial killings and why have Surinder Koli and Moninder Singh Pandher been acquitted?

In an unexpected turn of events, primary suspects Surinder Koli and Moninder Singh Pandher have been acquitted in all 12 cases related to the Nithari serial killings by the Allahabad High Court.

What

This decision nullifies the death sentences both had received from the trial courts. Koli, accused of brutally murdering and dismembering children in the Nithari locality of Noida, had been sentenced to death in 12 cases, while Pandher had faced the death penalty in two cases.

The High Court's ruling came after the consideration of the appeals filed by Koli and Pandher. The bench, comprising Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Syed Aftab Husain Rizvi, permitted these appeals after reserving judgment on the cases the previous month.

Although the specific details of the judgment are yet to be disclosed, the acquittal in all 12 cases has added a troubling twist to this high-profile case.

TRIGGER WARNING: Descriptions of gruesome violence and sexual assault

The horrifying Nithari killings

The Nithari serial killings, which unfolded between 2005 and 2006, were a series of appalling and horrendous crimes that occurred in the Nithari locality of Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. The case involved the abduction, sexual abuse, and brutal murder of children and young women.

Koli, a domestic servant, and Pandher, the owner of the house where these crimes took place, were the main suspects.

• Koli, often labeled as the "Nithari serial killer," was directly involved in the crimes.
• He enticed victims, mostly children, into the house with promises of food or other lures.
• Once inside, he sexually assaulted, murdered, and dismembered them, often disposing of body parts in and around the house.
• The degree of brutality and the sheer number of victims were profoundly shocking.
• Human remains were discovered in and around the house's drainage system, indicating the scale of the killings.
• Many of the victims hailed from marginalized backgrounds, making them vulnerable targets.

The exposure of these crimes sent shockwaves throughout India and prompted a rigorous investigation by law enforcement agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Sentencing and acquittal

Previously, Koli had been held accountable for the gruesome murders that deeply affected the nation. The court had upheld the death sentence awarded to him by the trial court, which was subsequently confirmed by the Supreme Court for the murder of Rimpa Halder in 2005.

• The court's earlier stance was that "no mercy can be shown to him," reflecting the obvious gravity of the crimes he was accused of committing.
• The case had a total of 16 cases registered against Koli, and he had been sentenced to death in a dozen of them.
• The CBI had registered these cases, charging Koli with murder, abduction, rape, and the destruction of evidence.

Pandher, on the other hand, was charge-sheeted in one case for immoral trafficking and later summoned in five other cases after families of the victims sought justice.

The Nithari serial killings case continues to be a haunting chapter in India's criminal history, and the recent acquittal of the prime suspects has generated significant public interest and discussion. 

The killings became a symbol of the vulnerability of marginalized individuals and exposed the horrors that can take place behind closed doors.

The recent acquittal of the suspects in all 12 cases has left many disturbed and scratching their heads over the court's decision.