Greater Noida dowry death: State women commission member meets family, assures fast-track probe

On August 21, Nikki had died after allegedly being set ablaze at her in-laws’ home. The police have since arrested her father-in-law, brother-in-law Rohit and husband Vipin. The arrests came after Nikki’s sister Kanchan — who is also Rohit’s wife — filed a police complaint.

Speaking to mediapersons, Bharala said, “The family wants justice… I asked them why both the sisters stayed with their in-laws despite being tortured, they said they were afraid of societal pressure… Kanchan said they were also assaulted a day before Nikki’s death.”

“According to Kanchan, she was unwell that day… Nikki had gone to the upper floor to iron clothes when Vipin attacked her on the stairs… He allegedly poured some inflammable substance on Nikki and set her on fire,” Bharala said.

Regarding a purported video circulating on social media, which showed Vipin standing outside the house allegedly around the time Nikki suffered burns, Bharala said, “Kanchan said there are three ways to enter the house. She suggested that Vipin may have entered the house from some other way, but at the time, Kanchan herself was unconscious.”

“We have spoken to the police commissioner, who said the investigation will be over in a few days, after which the chargesheet will be filed,” she added.

The police, meanwhile, said that in her statement, Kanchan has claimed that the viral video in which Vipin is allegedly seen assaulting and pulling Nikki by her hair was recorded on February 11 and not on August 21 when Nikki suffered burns. “Kanchan will again be called in a few days,” the officer added.

The IO said, “There was some tension between the couple for over 15 days. Nikki wanted to reopen her beauty parlour but the family was against it.”

Vipin’s uncle Uday Veer Singh, who attended the panchayat convened on February 18 – seven days after Nikki was assaulted – said the panchayat members had told the sisters to stop making reels and also to keep the beauty parlour shut.

The IO said that in his statement recorded on Tuesday, the doctor who had attended to Nikki at Fortis Hospital — where she was taken after she suffered burns — said that Nikki had claimed that she suffered injuries in a cylinder blast.

Vipin’s cousin Devender Bhati, who admitted Nikki to the hospital, said on Wednesday, “I was at my shop… Around 5.45 pm, Vipin came running to me saying that Nikki has burnt herself and needs to be taken to the hospital.”