Greater Noida was shaken by a shocking dowry death case when a six-year-old boy alleged that his father had tried to burn his mother alive in front of him. The victim, Nikki Payla, died of burn injuries after being allegedly beaten up by her husband, Vipin Bhati, and in-laws in Sirsa village under Kasna Police Station jurisdiction.
In a heartbreaking revelation, Nikki’s son told the media that he witnessed his father and grandmother assaulting and burning his mother alive. “Meri mumma ke upar kuch dala, fir unko chanta mara fir lighter se aag laga di (They poured something on my mother, slapped her, and set her ablaze using a lighter),” the child said. He nodded when asked if it was his father who killed his mother. Two haunting videos of the attack went viral later one in which the victim was dragged around by her hair and another in which she is seen limping down the stairs having been set ablaze.
Nikki’s older sister, Kanchan, who is married to Vipin’s brother, captured the moment on her mobile phone. Kanchan accused Nikki of being continuously harassed for dowry and that the family had demanded ₹36 lakh after being offered a car previously. “On Thursday evening, they assaulted her, slapped her on the neck and head, and burnt her. I couldn’t rescue her. “They also tortured me,” said Kanchan, holding her sister’s little boy.
(Trigger warning: Visuals of domestic violence)
Recently, the painful incident of Nikki Payla in Greater Noida has shaken society. According to NCRB data, more than 6,000 dowry deaths are recorded in India every year (an average of 16–17 daily)Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of such cases#YogiAdityanath #justicefornikki pic.twitter.com/Ck9FZth0Lm
— Avnish Dhama (@adgurjar9) August 23, 2025
Vipin Bhati’s emotional Instagram post
Meanwhile, in the midst of outrage, a turn of events came about when Vipin’s Instagram post went viral. Just hours before his arrest, he went live on Instagram to share touching notes and videos with Nikki and their son. In one story he was seen smiling next to his wife and child, and in another post, he wrote: “I’m broken. I have nothing left.” The posts seemed to show him as a grieving husband, even as the police confirmed he was charged with having burned his wife alive for dowry.
Police confirmed that Nikki died while being transferred from Fortis Hospital, Noida to Safdarjung Hospital, Delhi. Vipin and his family members have been charged under the IPC sections dealing with dowry harassment and murder, and investigation was still going on.
ALSO READ: ‘Why Did You Do This?’ Accused Husband’s Instagram Post In Greater Noida Dowry Death Case Goes Viral
Sofia Babu Chacko is a journalist with over five years of experience covering Indian politics, crime, human rights, gender issues, and stories about marginalized communities. She believes that every voice matters, and journalism has a vital role to play in amplifying those voices. Sofia is committed to creating impact and shedding light on stories that truly matter. Beyond her work in the newsroom, she is also a music enthusiast who enjoys singing.
