Nikki Bhati's 'dying declaration': Was she trying to protect her younger sister?

Nikki Bhati

Nikki Bhati, who was allegedly set on fire by her husband and in-laws in Greater Noida last week, told doctors in her "dying decleration" that she had suffered burns while cooking. According to the police, Nikki may have given this statement to shield her younger sister, who is married into the same family, Hindustan Times reported.

The hospital's medico-legal certificate has also recorded the same statement: “Burn at home, due to blast of cooking cylinder." However, the police have since confirmed that there was no such cylinder blast, and that the evidence collected from the spot suggests otherwise.

Nikki was rushed to hospital around 6 pm by her husband Vipin Bhati's relative, Devendra. She was later referred to Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital but died on the way. Since her statement was not recorded by a magistrate, it cannot be treated as a formal dying declaration in court.

Police officials said Nikki may have tried to protect her younger sister, Kanchan, who is married into the same family. “It seems she did not want to accuse her in-laws because she feared it could affect her sister’s life,” Kasna SHO Dharmendra Shukla was quoted by HT as saying.

Police find thinner bottle

When a police team inspected Nikki’s home, they found her kitchen intact with no signs of an explosion. Instead, an empty thinner bottle and a lighter were found. Both items have been sent for forensic testing. Nikki’s post-mortem later confirmed that her death was due to burn injuries.

Initially, Nikki’s family members refused to allow a post-mortem, but after discussions with local police, they gave their consent. Her brother, Vicky, admitted that the family wanted to avoid “further harm” to her body but eventually agreed.

One of the most crucial accounts has come from Nikki’s sister, Kanchan. She told police that she heard her sister screaming and saw her engulfed in flames while coming down the stairs. At that moment, her brother-in-law Vipin was allegedly standing nearby. Kanchan tried to help Nikki by pouring water while also holding her phone. In panic, she even recorded parts of the incident before fainting. Nikki was then rushed to hospital.

Investigators also noted that Nikki and Vipin’s marriage had been going through serious problems. In fact, separate beddings were found in their room, suggesting the couple was living apart within the same house.

However, Nikki’s family did not immediately report the matter to police. Instead, it was first discussed in a village panchayat. Only after her cremation on August 22, nearly 20 hours after her death, did her relatives file a complaint. Based on investigations, police registered a case under Section 103 (murder), Section 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), and Section 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against four members of the Bhati family.

Vipin was arrested but allegedly tried to escape during an evidence recovery operation. Police said they had to shoot him in the leg to stop him. Later, his mother Daya, father Satveer, and brother Rohit (who is married to Kanchan) were also taken into custody.