Nithari killer Koli likely to be hanged Monday

Meerut: Nithari killings convict Surender Koli, whose mercy petition was rejected by the president, may be hanged Monday morning in the Meerut jail, sources said Sunday.

Koli was transferred from the Dasna jail in Ghaziabad district to Meerut Sep 4 for the execution of his death warrant issued by the CBI court.

Officials earlier said he was to be hanged any time between Sep 7 and 12.

Although jail officials were tight-lipped about the exact date of execution, speculation was rife that the Nithari killer may be hanged at 5.30 a.m. Monday, sources said.

Meerut jail superintendent S.M. Rizvi said the hook and loop to hang Koli had arrived from the Naini central jail.

Koli has also been informed about his impending hanging, and hangman Pawan Singh has inspected the hanging site, officials said.

Meanwhile, Koli has not asked permission to meet his family members. He Saturday changed the clothes he was wearing while in Dasna jail.

Official said although his behaviour seems to be normal, he was keeping quiet, and says only 'yes' or 'no' to any query.

In the last two days, Koli has not demanded anything from the jail staff.

On Saturday afternoon, he came out for 15 minutes from his cell but did not utter a word. He had his meal, did not speak to anyone and went back to his cell.

Koli is reading the Bhagavad Gita, which was provided by the jail staff.

"On Saturday, I inspected Koli's cell. On being asked whether he was well, he simply bowed down his head, indicating yes. His face had a blank expression," Rizvi said.

"As per jail rules, we cannot force further discussion if an inmate is not inclined to do so," he said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Ghaziabad issued a death warrant to Koli after his mercy petition was rejected by President Pranab Mukherjee.

Koli was shifted to Meerut because of the absence of hanging facilities in Dasna.

Koli was convicted for the murder of a girl Rimpa Halder who went missing in Noida in December 2006. After a police investigation, she was found to have been murdered by Koli.

During the probe, the skeletal remains of many other children were recovered from a drain adjacent to a house in Noida where Koli worked as domestic help for businessman Moninder Singh Pandher.

Both Koli and Pandher were sentenced to death, but later the Allahabad High Court acquitted Pandher and upheld the death sentence of Koli.

Koli's sentence was then upheld by the Supreme Court. He filed a mercy petition before the president which was turned down.