The investigation into the death of 28-year-old Nikki Bhati in Greater Noida, allegedly a case of murder over dowry demands, is ongoing, with investigators saying that videos shared by both the victim’s and the accused’s families on social media are complicating the case as evidence is being examined.
At the centre of the online back-and-forth are three widely shared videos. Two were circulated by Nikki’s family, and one by relatives of the accused. There’s another video going viral, which shows Nikki’s in-laws attending her funeral.
The first clip, reportedly recorded by Nikki’s sister Kanchan, purportedly shows a severely burnt Nikki being asked, “What have you done?” Nikki’s family says Kanchan was in shock at the time and could not comprehend her sister’s condition.
Her brother, Vicky Payla, told HT on Tuesday that CCTV cameras had earlier been installed at Vipin’s home with Panchayat consent after repeated assaults, but these were mysteriously disabled a week before the murder.
Another video shows Vipin physically assaulting Nikki. While the accused’s family has not denied its authenticity, they say the footage dates back to January and is unrelated to her death.
A third clip, circulated by Vipin Bhati’s family, purportedly shows him outdoors around the time police believe Nikki was killed, but investigators have refused to authenticate it, saying that that it is undated.
“We cannot confirm the veracity of the CCTV footage. Cross-verification is underway,” ADCP Sudhir Kumar said.
In a fourth video seen online, Nikki’s father-in-law and some other in-laws are seen present at the deceased’s funeral, which took place the next morning after the incident. Her father-in-law, in fact, also lit the funeral pyre. Nikki’s family had “reluctantly allowed” the in-laws to perform the cremation on their request.
Self-immolation claims
“Supporters” of Vipin have launched a “Justice for Vipin Bhati” campaign online, claiming Nikki’s death was a case of self-immolation. Reacting to this, Nikki’s father, Bhikari Singh Payla, said, “Where were these people when my daughter was assaulted? After her death, they now claim she burnt herself. They can say what they want, but I am satisfied with the police investigation.”
Senior officers involved in the probe said the videos are part of a larger attempt to shape public perception. “The woman was burnt alive. The autopsy confirms death due to burn injuries. All supplementary material is under review, but we will not allow the narrative to be derailed,” a senior investigator said.
Investigators also added that the online campaigns are complicating the narrative even as they continue to piece together evidence in the August 21 case.
They also said that on Tuesday, Vipin Bhati, who is the prime accused, deleted the entire call history from his phone before his arrest.
Investigators said they are now treating Vipin’s phone, which he allegedly wiped clean before arrest, as a key part of the probe.
“He deleted his call log history, which itself raises suspicion. All electronic data is being forensically examined,” an officer working on the case said, asking not to be identified.
“The entire Bhati family — Vipin, his mother Daya, father Satveer, and brother Rohit — are murder-accused. They are free to say anything in their defence, but our investigation is guided by facts, not by social media,” ADCP Kumar added.
On August 21, Nikki, a resident of Sirsa village in Kasna, sustained severe burns and was rushed to two private hospitals before being shifted to Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital, where she died the same evening.
(With inputs from HT correspondent)
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