4th arrest in Noida dowry death case: Nikki Bhati's father-in-law held

The father-in-law and brother-in-law of Nikki Bhati, the 26-year-old woman who was allegedly burnt alive over dowry demands in Greater Noida, have been arrested, police said on Monday.

The accused, identified as Satveer Bhati (55) and Rohit Bhati (28), were arrested by Kasna Police near Sirsa Toll Chauraha following a tip-off and manual intelligence inputs, the police said in a statement.

An official told PTI that both the arrests were made separately with some time difference between the two.

Nikki's husband Vipin Bhati, brother Rohit, mother and father are among those mentioned as accused in the FIR. All four have been arrested.

A case had been registered against the four at Kasna Police Station on August 22 under sections 103(1) (murder), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), and 61(2) (attempting to commit offences punishable with life imprisonment or others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Police had earlier arrested the mother-in-law of Nikki Bhati, a 32-year-old woman who succumbed to burn injuries after being allegedly set on fire by her husband in Greater Noida.

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 later remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.

According to police, Vipin and his mother are accused of setting Nikki on fire following years of alleged domestic violence and dowry harassment. 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.

Nikki was initially treated at a local hospital and later shifted to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi, where she succumbed to 70 per cent burn injuries. Her father stated that the doctors informed him she was beyond recovery.

"They tortured her for money and finally killed her. Her mother-in-law poured kerosene, and Vipin set her on fire. They should be given the death penalty," said the grieving father during a protest outside Kasna Police Station, where the family demanded justice.

From his hospital bed, Vipin Bhati denied the charges, claiming, “I didn’t kill her. She died on her own.” When asked about the history of abuse, he added, “Fights happen between husband and wife, it’s common.”

The victim's family claims this was not an isolated incident and that Nikki had previously returned to her parents' home due to domestic violence, but societal pressure led to her return to her in-laws.