Fresh evidence, including a hospital memo citing a gas cylinder blast, CCTV footage of husband Vipin Bhati outside the house during the incident and individual statements, has deepened the mystery in the suspected dowry murder of 26-year-old Nikki Bhati.
Nikki Bhati was allegedly set ablaze in Greater Noida's Sirsa village on August 21.
The memo from the private hospital where Nikki was first admitted states in Hindi: "Ghar par gas cylinder fatne se mareej ko kaafi gambheer roop se jal gaya hai" (The patient has suffered severe burn injuries due to a gas cylinder explosion at home.)"
It further adds that Nikki was brought in by Devendra, a relative (bua's son), and was in critical condition.
Besides, a CCTV clip from outside a shop near the Bhati family's home, claimed to be of the time when the incident happened, shows a man, identified by locals as Vipin, standing behind a parked car, suddenly running and then hurrying back. Moments later, an elderly man and neighbours are seen rushing towards the house and the women appear visibly panicked.
Police said the footage is part of the ongoing investigation. However, they stressed that the authenticity of the footage is yet to be ascertained.
"It is a part of our investigation. Whatever facts come out, action will be taken accordingly. The investigation will cover all possible angles and suitable action will follow upon its completion," Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Greater Noida) Sudheer Kumar told news agency PTI.
According to police, Nikki was beaten, doused in a flammable liquid, and set on fire at her Sirsa home. She succumbed to her injuries while being taken to a Delhi hospital. Disturbing videos of her final moments, reportedly filmed by her elder sister Kanchan, have been widely circulated online.
Police have already arrestdd Vipin Bhati, his parents Satveer and Daya, and brother Rohit in connection with the incident. Vipin was shot in the leg on Sunday while allegedly trying to escape police custody.
Contradicting claims
While the hospital memo cites gas cylinder explosion, the victim's sister, Kanchan, according to the FIR, alleged that Nikki was deliberately set ablaze.
"My mother-in-law Daya gave Vipin a flammable item, then Vipin poured it on my sister Nikki," Kanchan claimed. "When I objected, they beat me, and at that moment, my husband Rohit, mother-in-law Daya, and father-in-law Satveer were present."
"The incident was at about 5:30 pm on August 21. The condition of my sister was serious, so with the help of a neighbour, I took her to Fortis Hospital, Acchher, Greater Noida. From there, she was referred to Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi."
However, Devendra, Vipin's cousin, said that Vipin and his father were at the shop around 5:45 PM. "I saw Vipin, he ran very fast towards home and returned very soon. He told me about the incident," he said.
"After that I took Nikki to Fortis hospital, along with Vipin's father and mother. In the car, Nikki was only asking for water. She was also saying that she was feeling suffocated," Devendra added, noting that the CCTV footage corroborated Vipin's presence at the shop moments earlier.
Demand for strictest punishment
Meanwhile, Nikki's father, Bhikari Singh, sought the harshest punishment for Vipin.
"Their house should be bulldozed and he should be hanged," Singh said, making an appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for justice.
He said Nikki's alleged killing was linked to her and her sister's social media activity, claiming, "Vipin's mother used Instagram too, reels are not the reason for the killing of Nikki."
"I gave Rs 1.5 lakh to my daughters to open a beauty parlour. My daughters were running the parlour and educating their children," he said.
Police said all leads, including the hospital memo, FIR statements, and CCTV footage, are being thoroughly examined.
—With PTI inputs