Greater Noida dowry death: Inflammable liquid, fresh video clips open up fresh angles

The investigation into the suspected dowry death of Nikki Bhati has taken a new turn after the recovery of an inflammable substance from her room and the emergence of fresh video clips, prompting police to revisit the timeline of the August 21 incident, a senior officer said on Wednesday.

The officer, who is part of the probe, said the inflammable solution found in Nikki's room has been sent for forensic analysis.

Police are also collating and examining multiple short video clips, which are surfacing in the public domain in connection with the August 21 incident.

The new findings seem to mark a shift from earlier allegations that Nikki (26) was set on fire with a flammable liquid by her husband Vipin Bhati and his family.

Police will also re-examine the statement of Nikki's sister Kanchan, who shot a video of the alleged incident, lodged the FIR and claimed to have tried to intervene in the matter.

Kanchan is married to Nikki’s brother-in-law, Rohit Bhati. Vipin, Rohit, Nikki’s father-in-law Satyavir and mother-in-law Daya have been arrested for the alleged dowry murder in Greater Noida last Thursday.

"Fresh videos, including one showing the mother-in-law appearing to separate Nikki and Vipin during a fight, and another reportedly filmed by Kanchan in which a voice could be heard saying, 'Yeh kya kar liya (what have you done)’, have surfaced after initial questioning. Kanchan's statement will be re-examined," the officer said, adding that around a dozen statements from both families have been recorded so far.

Police are analysing CCTV camera footage showing Vipin standing outside his home minutes before the incident, besides probing a separate assault case registered against him last October in Greater Noida's Jarcha area.

That FIR was lodged against Vipin and his associate Tushar in October last year on charges of assaulting a 21-year-old woman named Preeti from the nearby Anandpur village.

The duo was also accused of forcibly taking away her phone and threatening to kill her. Additional DCP (Greater Noida), Sudheer Kumar, said a probe into that case is underway and action will be taken based on its findings.

Nikki was found with severe burn injuries at her home in Sirsa village on August 21. She died en route a Delhi hospital.

A memo from the private hospital where she was first admitted to mentioned she had "suffered severe burns in a gas cylinder explosion at home", and was brought there in a critical condition by Vipin’s cousin Devendra.

However, Nikki's elder sister Kanchan alleged in her FIR that Nikki was deliberately set ablaze by Vipin, his mother Daya, father Satveer, and brother Rohit after being beaten.

She alleged that Nikki faced persistent dowry harassment despite their 2016 marriage being solemnised "without dowry”, claiming that her family already gave a Scorpio SUV, a motorcycle and jewellery to the Bhati family, yet they were being pressured to shell out another Rs 36 lakh and a luxury car.

Vipin was shot in the leg on August 25 when he allegedly attempted to flee police custody.

His cousin Devendra claimed he took Nikki to the hospital along with Vipin's parents, and recalled her repeatedly asking for water and saying she felt suffocated. He also corroborated Vipin's presence at a local shop around the time of the incident.

Nikki and Kanchan's father, Bhikari Singh, has demanded "harshest punishment" for Vipin, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to intervene in the matter.

He also rejected claims that social media activities of his daughters triggered the killing, insisting that reels "were not the reason”, and that he gave them Rs 1.5 lakh to open a beauty parlour to support themselves.

The FIR against the Bhatis was filed at the Kasna police station on August 22 under sections 103(1) (murder), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), and 61(2) (attempt to commit offences punishable with life imprisonment) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).