New Delhi: Greater Noida witnessed a horrifying case of dowry violence after a 28-year-old woman, Nikki Bhati, was set ablaze by her husband and in-laws. Married in 2016, Nikki had endured years of torture over dowry demands, despite her family already giving a car, motorcycle, and gold.
On Thursday, the abuse turned deadly. Nikkiโs six-year-old son, a witness to the crime, said his father and relatives poured a substance on his mother, slapped her, and then set her on fire. Nikki was dragged, beaten, and burnt alive before being rushed to a Delhi hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.
Her sister Kanchan, who is also married into the same family, managed to record parts of the assault before being attacked herself. Nikkiโs family revealed that she had complained about harassment multiple times but was taken back on false assurances. โShe believed good days would come,โ her mother said, recalling her daughterโs words.
Police arrested Nikkiโs husband, Vipin Bhati, who initially tried to portray the death as a suicide through social media posts. He was shot in the leg while attempting to escape custody on Sunday. From his hospital bed, Vipin dismissed the charges, claiming fights were โnormalโ between husband and wife and insisting he felt โno remorse.โ
The victimโs family and residents of Sirsa village have demanded strict action, including an encounter killing of the accused and demolition of his house. Police confirmed that a murder case has been registered under charges of criminal conspiracy and other sections. Vipinโs parents, Daya and Satyaveer, along with his brother Rohit, are still absconding.
The gruesome killing once again highlights how dowry, outlawed decades ago, continues to claim lives in India.
