In a tragic incident, a 28-year-old woman, identified as Nikki Bhati, died after her husband Vipin allegedly set her ablaze at their Kasna residence in Greater Noida on August 21.
Police said the incident followed a heated argument over her wish to reopen a beauty parlour and her frequent use of Instagram to post reels. Nikki’s husband, Vipin Bhati, 28, was arrested and later injured in police firing while trying to escape custody. Now the police have also arrested the second accused, Nikki’s mother-in-law, Dayavati.
Argument Turns Deadly
According to the police investigation, the couple had an altercation around 3.30 PM on August 21. Nikki had told her husband that she and her sister planned to restart their beauty parlour business. Vipin opposed the idea. He said that women in his family were not allowed to post reels or run parlours. When Nikki insisted that no one could stop her from reopening the venture, the argument escalated into violence.
Police said Vipin then poured a flammable liquid, believed to be thinner used in the parlour, on his wife and set her on fire. She suffered critical burn injuries and was rushed to local hospitals before being referred to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi. She was declared dead the same evening.
Escape Attempt Ends in Police Firing
On Sunday (August 24), police took Vipin to recover the material used in the crime. During the process, he allegedly snatched a pistol from a policeman and attempted to flee. Officers opened retaliatory fire, and he sustained a bullet injury in his leg. He was admitted to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Sudhir Kumar, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Greater Noida), confirmed the development. He said Vipin showed no remorse and described disputes between husband and wife as “normal.” Later that evening, police also arrested Nikki’s mother-in-law, Daya Bhati, 55, for her alleged role in the case.
Family Alleges Dowry Harassment
Relatives of the deceased claimed that dowry harassment was the main reason behind the murder. Nikki’s brother, Rohit Gurjar, alleged that the in-laws repeatedly demanded luxury cars and other valuables since her marriage in December 2016.
Rohit said both Nikki and her sister Kanchan were married into the same household. Nikki married Vipin, while Kanchan married his elder brother, Rohit Bhati. “My sisters faced harassment for years. Nikki returned home several times because of dowry disputes, but compromises were made under pressure,” he said.
He added that the sisters invested around ₹8 lakh to run a beauty parlour, as their husbands were unemployed. “Nikki and Kanchan managed household expenses for their children without asking for money from their husbands. But the in-laws damaged the parlour earlier this year and opposed their business,” he claimed.
Social Media Presence
Police found that Nikki and Kanchan had been running their beauty parlour brand online under the handle “Makeover by Kanchan.” Their Instagram account had more than 54,000 followers and millions of views. Nikki’s personal account, which was private, had over 1,100 followers.
On Saturday (August 23), Kanchan uploaded a video demanding justice for her sister. She alleged that Nikki faced constant opposition from her in-laws for running the parlour and for her activity on social media.
Shocking Videos Circulate
Several disturbing videos from the day of the crime went viral on Sunday. In one clip, a man is seen pouring a liquid on Nikki while she sits on the floor. Another video shows Vipin thrashing her brutally. In the third, Nikki is seen running downstairs engulfed in flames.
Nikki’s family said they asked Kanchan to record the videos to collect evidence of repeated abuse. Her father-in-law initially accompanied Kanchan in taking Nikki to the hospital, but he allegedly fled when he heard of her death.
Pattern of Abuse
Family members revealed that Nikki had been assaulted many times before. “Just a week earlier, there was a fight between Nikki and Vipin. He apologised before elders and promised to change, but nothing improved,” said her brother Vicky Payla. He added that repeated compromises were made for the sake of family reputation.
After Nikki’s death, Kanchan, who has two children, left her matrimonial home and returned to her parental house.
Police Investigation
Police have registered a case under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to murder, causing hurt, and criminal conspiracy against Vipin, his parents Satyaveer and Daya Bhati, and his brother Rohit Bhati. Authorities said efforts are underway to arrest the absconding accused.
Police investigation disclosed that Vipin admitted during interrogation that he was firmly against his wife’s parlour business. He reportedly told police that he had “no regret” for what he did. An police officer said the couple’s relationship had worsened in the weeks before the incident.
Demand for Justice
Following Nikki’s death, her family, along with Kanchan and social media supporters, launched an online campaign under the banner “Justice for Nikki.” They demanded strict punishment for all the accused.
The case has sparked widespread outrage in Greater Noida and beyond, highlighting the persistent issues of domestic violence, dowry harassment, and restrictions imposed on women’s right to work and express themselves freely.
