Greater Noida Man Arrested for Wife’s Brutal Dowry Murder
Husband’s Chilling Post Before Arrest
Vipin Bhati, a 28-year-old advocate from Greater Noida’s Sirsa village, was arrested for allegedly setting his wife, Nikki, ablaze over a Rs 36 lakh dowry demand, leading to her death on Thursday. Hours before his arrest, Vipin posted on Instagram, claiming Nikki’s death was a suicide, writing in Hindi, “Why didn’t you tell me what happened? Why did you leave me? The world is calling me a killer, Nikki.” Another post, featuring a video of the couple with their son, was captioned, “I am devastated. I’m left with nothing,” in an apparent attempt to deflect blame.
Nikki, 28, succumbed to severe burn injuries while being transferred from Fortis Hospital in Noida to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi. Videos captured by her sister Kanchan show Vipin and another woman dragging Nikki by her hair and assaulting her at their home. Another clip depicts Nikki engulfed in flames, limping down stairs, and later sitting with extensive burns.
Kanchan, married to Vipin’s elder brother Rohit, alleged that both sisters faced relentless dowry harassment since their 2016 marriages. “They demanded Rs 36 lakh. On Thursday, they beat Nikki in front of me and the children, poured a flammable liquid on her, and set her ablaze,” Kanchan told reporters, recounting how she fell unconscious after being assaulted. Nikki’s six-year-old son corroborated the account, stating, “They poured something on mumma, slapped her, and set her ablaze with a lighter.”
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The incident, occurring in front of Kanchan and Nikki’s son, has sparked outrage, with Sirsa residents protesting and demanding justice under the hashtag #JusticeForNikki. The police have filed an FIR under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections for murder, criminal conspiracy, and voluntarily causing hurt, naming Vipin, his parents Daya and Satveer, and brother Rohit. While Vipin is in custody, the other accused remain at large, with police teams actively searching.
Greater Noida ADCP Sudhir Kumar confirmed that the investigation began after a hospital alert on August 21. Nikki’s family alleges the in-laws planned to eliminate her for Vipin’s remarriage, a claim under scrutiny. The case highlights the persistent issue of dowry-related violence, with Nikki’s father demanding severe punishment for the accused.
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