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Noida dowry death victim's father says grandson 'cries daily, keeps saying...'

The boy has claimed that he saw something being poured on his mother, 28-year-old Nikki Bhati, before being set ablaze with a lighter.

Updated on: Aug 26, 2025, 09:02:10 IST
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The seven-year-old son of the Greater Noida woman, who was set on fire by her husband and in-laws in an alleged dowry killing, is haunted by the sight of his burning mother.

Nikki Bhati's father has said that he will try his best to bring up her son. (Sourced/ANI)
Nikki Bhati's father has said that he will try his best to bring up her son. (Sourced/ANI)

The boy has claimed that he saw something being poured on his mother, 28-year-old Nikki Bhati, before being set ablaze with a lighter. Nikki’s father, Bhikari Singh Payla, said that the boy cries every evening and keeps repeating, “They burnt my mother.”

"I will bring him up as well as I can. He cries every evening thinking of his mother. He keeps saying, 'They burnt my mother.' We try to comfort him,” Payla told NDTV.

The police are investigating the case and have so far made four arrests: Nikki’s husband, Vipin Bhati; brother-in-law, Rohit Bhati; and both parents-in-law, Daya and Satyavir Bhati.

The Nikki Bhati dowry death case

28-year-old Nikki Bhati was killed over a 36 lakh dowry demand, nine years after her marriage with Vipin Bhati, a resident of Greater Noida in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The victim's elder sister, Kanchan, who was married in the same family to Vipin’s brother Rohit, claimed Nikki was burnt alive in front of her eyes as she failed to get them 36 lakh in dowry. She claimed that her in-laws assaulted her as well for dowry. Vipin, on the other hand, claimed that she died by suicide.

According to the victim's family, Vipin and Rohit were both unemployed and lived off their father's grocery shop. To become financially independent, the sisters opened a salon and boutique business, something Vipin said was “not allowed.”

An argument broke out between Nikki and Vipin on August 21, after which he assaulted her and allegedly set her on fire with the help of his mother, Daya.

"My elder daughter (Kanchan) called and told me, 'Papa, Nikki ko jala diya (They burnt Nikki). We reached the hospital, and the doctor told us she had suffered 70 per cent burns... I have lost everything. I lost my daughter, what is left now?" Nikki Bhati’s father said.

  • Shivam Pratap Singh
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Shivam Pratap Singh

    Shivam Pratap Singh is a digital journalist who works as a Deputy Chief Content Producer with Hindustan Times. Having previously worked with various platforms covering national, international as well as sports events, he blends in various topics to easy to read news pieces for the benefit of the reader. Shivam holds a Master's degree in International Relations from Jamia Millia Islamia, bringing in a unique perspective for whatever is happening around the world. An avid reader, he can be seen immersed in books and book shops while not working. Shivam treats every topic almost equally but loves to right about foreign affairs and politics of India. He has over half-a-decade of experience in digital journalism though his career started in print.Read More

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