On 21/8, a horrific incident unfolded in Greater Noida, near Delhi, where 28-year-old Nikki was attacked by her husband, Vipin, and his mother. A video circulating on social media shows Nikki being beaten, dragged by her hair, and doused with gasoline before being set alight. She succumbed to her severe burns in the hospital.

Delhi police have arrested Vipin’s parents and brother on murder charges. Vipin, who initially fled the scene, was apprehended after being shot in the heel and also faces murder charges.

28-year-old Nikki died after being set on fire by her in-laws over dowry demands. Photo: Telegraph

28-year-old Nikki died after being set on fire by her in-laws over dowry demands. Photo: Telegraph

According to the Telegraph, the couple married in 2016 in a lavish ceremony. Nikki’s family provided a dowry that included an SUV, a Royal Enfield motorcycle, gold, and cash. However, the demands from Vipin’s family continued to escalate.

Nikki's father shared, "They kept demanding more money, first a car, then our Mercedes. When I refused, they beat her. They demanded an additional 3.6 million rupees (approximately 41,400 USD). They killed my daughter because we wouldn't pay more."

The couple's 6-year-old son told relatives, "They hit mommy and then set her on fire." Witnesses reported being assaulted when they attempted to intervene.

Nikki and her sister were married to two brothers in the same family. Locals say the husbands were unemployed and relied on their parents. The wives opened a spa and a clothing store to support themselves, but their in-laws opposed these ventures and subjected them to violence.

Nikki’s sister revealed that she, too, had endured years of abuse from her husband and in-laws over dowry demands, culminating in her sister's tragic death.

Vipin, the victim's husband, is accused of murdering his wife. Photo: Telegraph

Vipin, the victim's husband, is accused of murdering his wife. Photo: Telegraph

Although giving and receiving dowry has been illegal in India since 1961, a recent study indicates that it persists in 90% of marriages.

Data from the National Crime Records Bureau of India shows that 35,493 brides were murdered between 2017 and 2022 (an average of nearly 20 women per day) for bringing insufficient dowries. Activists believe the actual number is significantly higher due to underreporting by families fearing stigma or retaliation.

Two days before Nikki's murder, police in Modinagar, Uttar Pradesh, discovered the body of a 27-year-old bride in her home with multiple injuries. Her husband and his family fled after the murder, also attributed to dowry disputes.

On 28/7, another young bride, aged 25, was killed by her husband in Bihar and her body thrown into a river. The husband's family had demanded a dowry of 500,000 rupees but had only received 200,000.

Hai Thu (Hindustan Times, Telegraph)