A man accused of killing his wife over a dowry demand of ₹36 lakh was shot in the leg by police while trying to escape custody on Sunday, officials said.
The accused, Vipin Bhati, was being taken for a routine medical check-up around 1.30 pm when he tried to flee. “He was chased and apprehended after being shot in the leg,” said the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police PRO.
Bhati, a resident of Sirsa village under Kasna police station, was arrested on Saturday after disturbing videos went viral. One clip showed him and another woman dragging his wife Nikki by the hair and assaulting her. Another video showed Nikki, badly burnt, walking down a staircase before collapsing.
She later died of burn injuries on Thursday night while being taken to a hospital.
Nikki’s elder sister, Kanchan, who is also married in the same family, filmed the attack and filed a police complaint. She alleged that Nikki was tortured and killed for dowry.
“We were beaten and tortured for days. They were demanding ₹36 lakh. They hit her on the head and neck, threw acid, and set her on fire in front of her child,” Kanchan told reporters. She added that she, too, was beaten when she tried to intervene.
Police said they received a call from Fortis Hospital on Thursday night about Nikki’s admission with severe burns. She was referred to Safdarjung Hospital but died before police could reach.
Kanchan alleged that the in-laws wanted Nikki out of the way so that Bhati could remarry. “They slapped me. I was injured and unconscious the entire day,” she said.
Nikki, who married Bhati in 2016, is survived by a young son. She was cremated by her family.
Based on Kanchan’s complaint, a case has been registered against Bhati and his family at Kasna Police Station.
