Aug 25, 2025: The victim's brother-in-law was arrested by the Noida Police on Monday in a chilling case of alleged dowry murder, making it the third arrest in the case. Nikki Bhati, a 32-year-old woman who was allegedly set on fire by her husband in Greater Noida, died from burn injuries after police arrested her mother-in-law. On Sunday, Nikki's husband, Vipin Bhati, was shot in the leg during a police encounter while attempting to evade arrest. He has been admitted to a hospital for treatment, and he has been held in judicial custody for 14 days after that. After years of alleged domestic violence and dowry harassment, Vipin and his mother are accused of setting Nikki on fire, according to police. The victim’s family alleges that soon after the couple's marriage in 2016, Nikki was subjected to repeated abuse over dowry demands, including Rs 35 lakh and a car.

After receiving treatment at a local hospital, Nikki was transferred to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, where she passed away from 70% burn injuries. According to her father, the doctors informed him that she would not recover. "They tortured her in exchange for money before killing her. Vipin set her ablaze after her mother-in-law poured kerosene on her. They should be given the death penalty," said the grieving father during a protest outside Kasna Police Station, where the family demanded justice.

Vipin Bhati denied the charges from his hospital bed, saying, "I didn't kill her." She passed away on her own. He added, "Fights happen between husband and wife, it's common," when asked about the abuse history. The victim's family asserts that this was not a one-time occurrence and that Nikki had previously moved back to her parents' house because of domestic violence, but that social pressure caused her to move back to her in-laws.