Dowry harassment, beauty parlour, and social media at the heart of shocking Noida dowry case

Noida, UP: In the tragic death of 28-year-old Nikki Bhati in Noida, chilling details have emerged revealing how a dispute over running a beauty parlour and posting social media reels led to her being set ablaze—allegedly by her husband, Vipin Bhati.

Her husband, strongly opposed the idea of opening a beauty parlour reportedly telling her that "posting reels and running a parlour were not allowed" in his family.

Kasna Station House Officer Dharmendra Shukla stated that around 3:30pm, Nikki asserted she would reopen the business despite his objections. The disagreement quickly turned violent. Around two hours later, Nikki’s brother received a panicked call from Kanchan, informing him that Nikki had been set on fire.

Kanchan and her in-laws rushed Nikki to multiple hospitals, while Vipin fled the scene. Nikki succumbed to her injuries soon after.

Social Media and Dreams Silenced

Nikki and Kanchan jointly managed a popular Instagram page titled ‘Makeover by Kanchan’, which had amassed over 54,000 followers. They also maintained personal social media accounts, where they promoted their beauty services.

Both sisters had married into the same family in 2016—Nikki to Vipin, and Kanchan to his brother Rohit Bhati. According to Nikki’s family, she had faced repeated dowry demands since 2018, with her in-laws allegedly pressuring her for ₹35 lakh. She had left her marital home several times over the years but returned after family interventions.

Vipin was arrested on Saturday following a police chase and remains in 14-day judicial custody. His mother, Daya Bhati, and brother Rohit Bhati have also been taken into custody.

In a chilling video statement, Vipin reportedly showed no remorse, saying, “I haven’t killed her. She died on her own. Husband and wife often have fights.”

The investigation continues.