UP Police on Monday arrested the fourth and last accused in the sensational case where a Greater Noida woman was set ablaze allegedly by her husband and in-laws for dowry, while the National Commission for Women (NCW) in Delhi also weighed in seeking a time-bound probe and strict action against the culprits.
In Sirsa village, where the incident occurred on August 21, residents in the victim's neighbourhood shared chilling accounts of the behaviour of the accused and the chain of events that led to the killing of 26-year-old Nikki Bhati.
Among the accused, father-in-law Satveer Bhati (55) and brother-in-law Rohit Bhati (28) were taken into custody near Sirsa Toll Chauraha following a tip-off and manual intelligence inputs, officials said. They had been absconding since the incident that has sparked outrage across the region occurred.
Nikki's husband, Vipin Bhati, was arrested on Saturday and later shot in the leg during an alleged attempt to escape police custody on Sunday. His mother, Daya (55), was also arrested on Sunday.
"All the named accused in the FIR registered at Kasna Police Station have been arrested by Greater Noida Police in the murder case of a woman who was burnt by her husband and in-laws. Investigation is on and facts are being collected," Additional DCP Sudhir Kumar said.
The police said Nikki was allegedly beaten and doused with a flammable substance before being set on fire at her home on Thursday night. She succumbed to her injuries while being taken to a hospital in Delhi.
In Delhi, the National Commission for Women (NCW) demanded strict action in the case, saying it was deeply disturbing that "even after 75 years of independence, our daughters are still falling victim to the evil practice of dowry".
NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar said she had spoken to the Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police and sought a time-bound investigation and action against all those involved. She also requested protection for the victim's family and witnesses.
"The DGP has been asked to submit a detailed action taken report within three days," Rahatkar said, adding she would try to meet Nikki's family soon.
At a press conference, Rahatkar said that while India has robust laws such as the Dowry Prohibition Act, cases like Nikki's death show "gaps in societal attitudes".
"Despite good laws and their implementation, when such brutal murders take place, it shows that society too needs to introspect. The new forms in which dowry is surfacing must be curbed," she said.
Meanwhile, neighbours in Sirsa village claimed that the family was also embroiled in domestic disputes over Nikki and her sister's social media activities.
Both sisters reportedly ran a beauty parlour from their home and were active on Instagram, posting makeover reels that their husbands, Vipin and Rohit, objected to.
"They both used to make reels related to the makeover and would share them on social media. But both Rohit and Vipin did not like it and used to object," a neighbour said.
Rishab, a resident, recounted a quarrel between the sisters and their husbands over the issue. "After that, both the sisters went to their parental home. But after the decision of the panchayat, both the sisters came back to their in-laws' house on March 18," he said.
"In the panchayat, it was decided that the sisters would not make reels in future. It remained so for some days, but again they began making reels and that was responsible for the tension between them," another neighbour claimed.
However, Nikki's family dismissed these claims, insisting that dowry harassment was the sole reason for her death. " "Dowry was the main reason behind the death of Nikki," her father Bhikahri Singh said.
Her younger brother, Atul, called for exemplary punishment to the culprits.
"There should be strict punishment given to them so that it can give a message to others. Making reels or running a beauty parlour was not a matter of dispute because she used to run it from the third floor of the house. If they had not done anything, why did they run after she was taken to the hospital by neighbours?" he said.
Echoing him, another brother said that Vipin showed "no regret" even after being shot in the leg. "His expressions were shocking," he claimed.
Disturbing videos of the assault, recorded by Nikki's elder sister Kanchan who is married to Vipin's brother Rohit, had circulated widely on social media. One clip purportedly showed Nikki being dragged by her hair, while another showed her engulfed in flames, walking down the stairs before collapsing.
The FIR, filed at Kasna Police Station on August 22, invoked provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including sections 103(1) (murder), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt) and 61(2) (attempting to commit offences punishable with life imprisonment or others).
Nikki's family alleged she faced years of torture and escalating dowry demands since her marriage to Vipin Bhati in 2016.
They claimed to have already provided a Scorpio SUV, motorcycle and gold jewellery to her in-laws, but demands later grew to Rs 36 lakh in cash and a luxury car.
Her father, Bhikahri Singh, said both Nikki and her sister Kanchan were subjected to harassment. "They have been torturing both daughters and demanding dowry," he alleged.
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.