Dowry horror: Woman tortured, burnt alive by in-laws; husband arrested, others on the run

 

By Sagaya Fernando| August 24, 2025

Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA: In a chilling case of dowry harassment and domestic violence, a 26-year-old woman was brutally assaulted and set on fire by her husband and in-laws in Sirsa village, Greater Noida. The victim, identified as Nikki, succumbed to severe burn injuries on Friday August 22 after being shifted from Fortis Hospital to Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital.

Police said Nikki, who married Vipin in 2016, had long faced harassment and physical abuse from her in-laws over dowry demands. Despite her family giving a Scorpio car and other valuables at the time of marriage, the demands allegedly escalated to ₹36 lakh in cash.

According to her elder sister Kanchan, who is married to Vipin’s brother Rohit and lives in the same household, the torture began within six months of marriage. “They regularly assaulted Nikki. When I tried to intervene, they beat me too—sometimes in front of our children,” Kanchan told police, adding that her in-laws wanted to get rid of Nikki so that Vipin could remarry.

On Thursday August 21 night, the situation turned fatal. Kanchan alleged that Vipin, egged on by his parents Daya and Satveer, and brother Rohit, first beat Nikki mercilessly, striking her on the head and neck, before pouring an inflammable substance on her and setting her ablaze. The horrific incident reportedly took place in front of her six-year-old son, who later told reporters: “Meri mumma ke upar kuch dala, fir unko chanta mara, fir lighter se aag laga di” (They poured something on my mother, slapped her, and set her on fire with a lighter).

Two disturbing videos of the incident, now in circulation, show Nikki being dragged by her hair and beaten by her husband and mother-in-law. Another clip shows her limping down the stairs after being set ablaze.

Neighbours and Kanchan rushed Nikki to Fortis Hospital, but as her condition worsened, she was referred to Safdarjung Hospital, where she died en route.

Confirming the case, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Sudhir Kumar said: “On August 21, we received information from Fortis Hospital about a woman with burn injuries. Unfortunately, she died while being shifted to Delhi. A case has been registered at Kasna police station on the basis of a complaint filed by her sister. The husband has been taken into custody, and teams have been formed to arrest the other absconding accused.”

The police have booked Vipin, his brother Rohit, and their parents under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 103(1) (murder), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy). While Vipin has been arrested, the other three remain absconding. Notably, dowry harassment charges under Section 80 of the BNS are yet to be added.

Nikki’s mother alleged that despite giving cars and valuables in dowry, the in-laws kept pressuring the family for more. “Her husband used to abuse my daughter as well as us. They demanded vehicles and ₹36 lakh. We gave them a Scorpio, but they were never satisfied,” she said.

Nikki is survived by her young son, who witnessed the horrifying assault on his mother. 

The tragedy has sparked outrage in the village, with locals demanding the harshest punishment for the accused and justice for the victim