During interrogation, Vipin admitted to the crime and reportedly told police that he had “no remorse” for what happened.
The Uttar Pradesh Police have made a third arrest in the dowry murder case of 28-year-old Nikki Bhati in Greater Noida. On Monday morning, police arrested Nikki’s brother-in-law. Her mother-in-law was taken into custody on Sunday, while her husband, Vipin Bhati, was arrested on Saturday after being injured in a police encounter.
Vipin Bhati, accused of killing his wife Nikki over dowry demands, was sent to 14-day judicial custody. According to police, Nikki was set on fire inside her home on August 21 after a fight over her wish to reopen her beauty parlour and her habit of posting reels on Instagram.
During interrogation, Vipin admitted to the crime and reportedly told police that he had “no remorse” for what happened.
Nikki’s family accused her in-laws of harassing and torturing her since her marriage in December 2016. Both Nikki and her sister Kanchan were married into the same household in Sirsa, Greater Noida.
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Her family claimed the in-laws had demanded a dowry of ₹36 lakh even after receiving a Scorpio car and a motorcycle. They said Nikki was regularly beaten and mentally tortured over these demands.
Videos of the August 21 incident surfaced on social media, showing the brutality Nikki suffered. In one clip, a man was seen pouring a chemical liquid, believed to be thinner used in beauty parlours, on Nikki while she sat helplessly on the floor.
Another video showed Vipin Bhati brutally assaulting her. A third clip showed Nikki, severely burnt, trying to walk down a staircase before collapsing.
Her young son and sister later confirmed to police how Vipin and another woman dragged her by the hair and attacked her.
Police said the fight that led to Nikki’s death started when she told her husband she wanted to reopen her beauty parlour along with her sister.
Kasna SHO Dharmendra Shukla said, “Investigation revealed that around 3.30 pm on August 21, Nikki told Vipin that she and her sister would reopen the parlour. When he refused, Nikki said that no one could stop them. Vipin opposed strongly and started assaulting her.”
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Vipin also objected to Nikki posting reels on Instagram, saying such activities were not allowed in his family. The argument soon turned violent, ending in Nikki being set on fire.
Nikki suffered severe burn injuries and collapsed soon after the attack. She was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to her injuries on Thursday night.
Police have secured the crime scene and collected evidence. The accused have been remanded to judicial custody. Investigations are ongoing to uncover the full role of all family members involved in the crime.
