Noida Dowry Murder: All Four Accused Held in Custody

According to Kasna Police officials, Vipin and his mother Daya doused Nikki with a flammable liquid and set her on fire inside the family home on August 21. The entire assault was reportedly captured on video by Nikki’s sister Kanchan (who witnessed the attack).

Nikki was rushed to hospital with severe burns but died later that night. An FIR was registered at Kasna Police Station on August 22 under murder and related charges, and reports say that the police have now arrested all four accused.

The Kasna FIR invokes sections 103(1) (murder), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt) and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The charges stem from the accusation that Vipin Bhati, aided by in-laws Daya and Satveer Bhati, brutally beat Nikki over ongoing dowry demands and set her ablaze. According to reports, Nikki’s family told police that the in-laws had repeatedly demanded more dowry (reportedly around Rs. 36 lakh) even after receiving gifts including a car, motorcycle and jewelry. Videos that surfaced on social media show Vipin dragging the screaming victim by the hair and pouring a solvent on her before lighting a match. One clip shows Nikki engulfed in flames on a staircase moments before collapsing. Kasna investigators have cited these clips; recorded by Kanchan, as key evidence in the case.

Arrests were made over the week of August 23–25. Vipin Bhati was first taken into custody on August 23; during a routine hospital check he tried to flee and was shot in the leg by police before being recaptured. He was then produced before a magistrate, which remanded him to 14 days’ judicial custody on August 24. The next day the police arrested Vipin’s mother, Dayavati, at their Sirsa village home. On August 25, officers arrested Vipin’s brother Rohit Bhati and father Satveer Bhati— both of whom had been evading arrest. By that time, as media reports note, “all four individuals named in the FIR” – Vipin, Rohit, Daya (Dayavati) and Satveer Bhati – were in custody. All suspects have been lodged in Kasna police lock-up pending further proceedings; no bail has been granted.

Throughout the probe, police have emphasized evidence and witness testimony. Along with the videos, Nikki’s sister Kanchan has given statements alleging years of torture and dowry abuse by her in-laws. Kasna police say they have recovered the solvent and matchstick used in the crime and are examining forensic evidence from the crime scene.

Vipin Bhati has remained defiant, denying the charges from his hospital bed; “I did not kill her. She died on her own,” he was quoted as saying– even as authorities say he showed “no remorse” for the killing. All the while, Nikki’s distraught family has demanded the strictest punishment. In a public protest outside Kasna station, Nikki’s father Bhikari Singh Payla urged that the accused be given the death penalty, accusing them of slaughtering his daughter over paid-off dowry demands.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has intervened in the case, taking suo motu notice and calling for a fair, speedy investigation. The NCW wrote to the Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police on August 25, demanding a detailed report within three days and instructing the police to ensure the safety of Nikki’s family and all witnesses. It emphasized that “adequate security” be provided to protect the victim’s relatives as the case progresses. NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar also reiterated the need to apprehend all accused, noting that the police should make “immediate arrest of all individuals” involved.

At present, the four accused remain behind bars as the legal process unfolds. Vipin Bhati’s remand was granted for two weeks, and he (along with Daya, Satveer and Rohit Bhati) will stay in judicial custody pending the filing of the formal chargesheet.

A court date for the next hearing is expected once the prosecution submits its case; under law, the police have up to 90 days to file the chargesheet unless the court grants an extension. In the meantime, investigators say they are finalizing evidence to present in court. The Kasna police have vowed to build a comprehensive case, citing the videotaped assault and eyewitness accounts as strong proof of the conspiracy.