Nikki Bhati, 28, died from severe burn injuries on August 21 at her home in Greater Noida’s Sirsa. Her death has sparked outrage and widespread media attention, especially after her family accused her husband Vipin Bhati and in-laws of setting her on fire.

One of the key pieces of evidence is a video recorded by Nikki’s sister, Kanchan, reportedly captured on the day of the incident. Both Nikki and Kanchan were married into the same family — to two brothers — back in 2016.

Initially, Nikki is said to have told hospital staff that her injuries were caused by a gas cylinder explosion. However, police have now ruled out that theory entirely. Investigators found the kitchen untouched and instead recovered an empty bottle of paint thinner and a lighter from the scene, both of which have been sent for forensic testing.

Kasna police station SHO Dharmendra Shukla suggested Nikki may have chosen not to implicate her husband or in-laws out of concern for her sister, who is still married into the same household. “It appears she didn’t want anyone to go to jail,” he said, referencing Nikki’s final statement.

Nikki’s post-mortem confirmed that she died due to burn injuries. Her family initially resisted the autopsy, reportedly to avoid further distress. "We didn’t want to cause more damage to her body," her brother, Vicky Payla, said, though they eventually consented after speaking with the police.

According to Kanchan, she heard Nikki screaming and rushed to find her sister engulfed in flames on the staircase, with Vipin standing nearby. Kanchan attempted to put out the fire — even as she held a mobile phone — and managed to record a portion of the harrowing moment before fainting. Nikki was then rushed to the hospital.

In recent days, new evidence has further complicated the case. A hospital memo still lists a gas cylinder blast as the cause of injuries, but police insist this claim was false. Meanwhile, CCTV footage has emerged showing a man — allegedly Vipin — near a local shop around the time of the incident. The timing and location of the footage are now under scrutiny.

All of Vipin Bhati’s immediate family members — including his parents, Daya and Satveer, and his brother Rohit (Kanchan’s husband) — have been arrested as investigations continue.