Greater Noida woman dies after husband, in-laws set her ablaze for dowry in front of son; horrific video surfaces

Disturbing videos have surfaced from Greater Noida showing the woman, Nikki, being beaten by her husband and in-laws and then engulfed in flames as she stumbled down a staircase.

Her elder sister Kanchan, who is also married into the same family, alleged that both were tortured for the dowry of ₹36 lakh.

Nikki, married into the family from Sirsa village in 2016, was allegedly subjected to dowry harassment just six months after her wedding.

On Thursday night, Kanchan said, she was thrashed and then set ablaze in front of her young son.

Footage shows Nikki’s husband, Vipin, dragging her by the hair along with a woman accomplice. Vipin, bare-chested with blood visible on his stomach and back, is seen in one clip.

Another shows Nikki, aflame, hobbling down the stairs before collapsing on the floor, her body covered in burns. Someone nearby is seen throwing water over her in a desperate attempt to douse the flames.

“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.’ I was hit several times and I was not in my senses the entire day,” Kanchan said, fighting back tears, reported NDTV.

“Later that 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. Someone took her to the hospital. I don’t know who. I had fallen unconscious... I want justice. I want my in-laws to suffer the way they made my sister suffer,” she added.

Nikki’s son also recalled the horror: “They poured something on mumma, slapped her and then set her ablaze using a lighter.”

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Greater Noida) Sudhir Kumar said the local police received information on Thursday night that a woman with severe burn injuries had been admitted to a hospital before being referred to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi.

According to an India Today report, she was first rushed to Fortis Hospital but transferred to Safdarjung Hospital for better treatment.

“The woman died on the way to Safdarjung Hospital. A post-mortem was conducted. Based on her sister’s complaint, a case has been registered. The husband, Vipin, has been arrested,” Kumar confirmed.

The woman’s father-in-law, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law have also been named in the case and are currently absconding.

Victim’s uncle Raj Singh said the abuse was not new and alleged repeated failures of earlier interventions, India Today reported.

“Both sisters were subjected to regular beatings. No amount of compromise worked,” he said, referring to past panchayat meetings that tried to settle the issue.