A 28-year-old woman, Nikki, was set on fire by her husband and in-laws in Greater Noida over rising dowry demands. Her child’s viral video saying “Papa killed Mummy by burning her with a lighter” has sparked outrage and calls for strict action.
Noida: A shocking case of dowry death has come to light from Greater Noida, where a 28-year-old woman named Nikki was allegedly set on fire by her husband and in-laws after years of harassment and dowry demands.
Her husband, identified as Vipin, has been arrested as the prime accused, while police have also registered a case against his mother, father, and brother.
The incident took place on Thursday night when Nikki, married to Vipin of Sirsa since 2016, was brought to Greater Noida’s Fortis Hospital in a critical condition with severe burn injuries.
She was later referred to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi for better treatment but tragically died on the way. After the post-mortem, her body was handed over to her family.
According to the FIR filed on the complaint of Nikki’s elder sister Kanchan, the victim was first beaten unconscious by her husband and then set on fire with an inflammable liquid. Kanchan said,
“After marriage, they demanded Rs 35 lakh. We even gave them another car, but their demands and harassment continued unabated.”
Kanchan further alleged that despite their family giving a branded SUV and valuables at the time of marriage, the in-laws never stopped demanding more. She added that she was present when the horrific act was committed, but could not save her sister.
Both sisters were married into the same family in 2016. Neighbours later rushed Nikki to the hospital, but she succumbed to her injuries.
In a disturbing development, a video of Nikki’s young son has surfaced on social media. In the clip, the child can be heard saying,
“Papa killed Mummy by burning her with a lighter.”
The video has gone viral and sparked widespread public outrage.
Nikki’s uncle Raj Singh also expressed the family’s pain and frustration, saying,
“Both sisters were subjected to regular beatings. No amount of compromise worked.”
He explained that despite repeated panchayat interventions and compromises, the harassment continued.
Police acted quickly after the complaint and registered a case against four members of the family — Vipin (husband), Rohit (brother-in-law), Daya (mother-in-law), and Satveer (father-in-law). ADCP Greater Noida Sudhir Kumar confirmed the developments and said,
“On the night of August 21, a memo was received from Fortis Hospital that a woman had been admitted with burn injuries. She was later referred to Safdarjung but died on the way. Based on her sister’s complaint, a case has been registered against four family members. The husband has been arrested and teams have been formed to nab the others.”
The victim’s family has demanded strict punishment. Hours before Vipin’s arrest, Nikki’s father, Bhikari Singh Payla, made an emotional plea to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
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He said,
“They are killers, they should be shot, their home razed. My daughter was bringing up her son by running a parlour. They tortured her. The whole family was involved in the conspiracy, and they killed my daughter.”
He further questioned the state government’s actions, saying,
“They shoot pickpockets in the leg, and they won’t kill these murderers? This is a BJP government.”
Speaking about how he met the dowry demands in vain, he said,
“First, they demanded a Scorpio in dowry, which was given. Later, they asked for a Bullet motorcycle, and that too was provided. Yet, they kept torturing my daughter.”
Adding to the horror, Nikki’s sister Kanchan recalled the final hours of the tragic night. She said,
“We were being tortured, our in-laws would tell us they did not get this or that during the wedding. They asked us to get Rs 36 lakh from our home. I was also assaulted between 1.30 am and 4 am on Thursday. They told me, ‘We have got dowry for one (sister), what about the other? You are better off dead. We will marry again.’”
She added that on Thursday evening, Nikki was brutally attacked in front of her.
Kanchan said,
“That same evening, they brutally assaulted my sister in front of me and the children. They then threw some liquid on her and set her ablaze in front of my eyes. I tried to save her, but I could not,”
Meanwhile, the accused husband Vipin was arrested on Saturday. However, in a dramatic turn of events, he tried to escape custody and was shot in the leg during an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh Police.
Officials confirmed that Vipin had earlier posted on social media, suggesting that Nikki had died by suicide, which added another layer of anger among the public.
This case has once again brought focus to India’s strict anti-dowry laws under the Indian Penal Code, including Section 304B (dowry death), Section 498A (cruelty by husband or relatives), and provisions under the Dowry Prohibition Act.
Despite the existence of these laws, dowry-related deaths continue to occur, raising serious questions about enforcement, social change, and protection for married women facing harassment.
What Are The Dowry Death Laws – Sec 80 BNS?
The horrific death of Nikki in Greater Noida once again raises the question — what exactly does Indian law say about dowry deaths?
Under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, dowry deaths are covered in Section 80, which has replaced the old Section 304B of the IPC.
According to Section 80 BNS, if a woman dies because of burns, bodily injuries, or in any other abnormal situation within seven years of her marriage, and it is proved that she was harassed or tortured by her husband or his relatives for dowry demands shortly before her death, then the law treats it as a case of dowry death.
The punishment is very strict. Anyone proven guilty can face a minimum of 7 years in jail, which can even extend to life imprisonment.
Also Read: SC Upholds Testimonies of Dowry Death Victims’ Relatives
The law is supported by the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (Section 113B), which allows courts to presume that the husband and in-laws are responsible if it is shown that the woman faced dowry harassment before her death. This means the burden of proof shifts to the accused, making it harder for them to escape punishment.
This special legal provision was created because many women in India die in suspicious circumstances soon after marriage, and it was earlier very difficult to prove direct murder. Now, if harassment for dowry is established, the law presumes the death is linked to that harassment.
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