Greater Noida police have arrested all the four accused in the brutal dowry-related death of 28-year-old Nikki Bhati whose killing at the hands of her husband and in-laws has outraged the nation. Nikki, allegedly burned alive in front of her young son and sister on August 21, died of extensive burn injuries while she was being transferred from Fortis Hospital in Noida to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi.
The Four Arrested in Nikki Bhati Murder Case
The four members of the Bhati family have now been arrested by the police, according to them.
Vipin Bhati (Husband): The main accused, Vipin, is claimed to have burned Nikki in a scuffle over her activity on Instagram and re-opening of her beauty parlour. He was taken into custody on Saturday and subsequently shot in the leg when he tried to escape from police custody. Vipin has not exhibited remorse for the offense and has been remanded to judicial 14-day custody.
Daya Bhati (Mother-in-law): Nikki’s mother-in-law, Daya, aged 55, was arrested the following day. She had been hiding since the day of the incident, yet the FIR filed by the victim’s family specifically identified her as a suspect.
Satyaveer Bhati (father-in-law): Satayeer was last to be arrested of the four suspects. Satyaveer is Nikki’s father-in-law. He has been charged with murder case and voluntarily causing hurt.
Rohit (Brother-in-law): Nikki’s brother-in-law Rohit, 28, was arrested by police near Sirsa Toll Chauraha after police received a tip-off. He has been charged with murder and offences of attempting-life imprisonment also under certain sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
With these arrests, police said that all four accused mentioned in the FIR have been arrested.
Child’s Testimony and Vipin’s Instagram Post
In a heartbreaking statement, Nikki’s six-year-old son told the media that he witnessed his father and grandmother setting his mother on fire.
“Meri mumma ke upar kuch dala, fir unko chanta mara fir lighter se aag laga di,” he said, verifying it as his father who had murdered her. His statement has now provided a terrifying element to the case.
As if this was not shocking enough, hours before his arrest, Vipin Bhati was on Instagram live, putting out smiling pictures and crying captions with Nikki and their baby. In one post, he had captioned: “I’m broken. I have nothing left.” He may have portrayed himself as the grieving husband, but police established he had brutally murdered his wife over dowry and for wanting to be free.
The killing has sparked huge protests across Greater Noida, with women’s rights activists calling for the harshest punishment for the accused, and stricter implementation of dowry laws across India.
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.
