Greater Noida Woman’s Death: Hospital Memo Adds New Twist, Police Probe Continues

The mystery surrounding the death of 28-year-old Nikki Bhati in Greater Noida has taken another turn with the emergence of a hospital memo that contradicts initial claims of a dowry-related murder. The memo, now circulating widely on social media, suggests that Nikki sustained critical burn injuries in a “cylinder blast” at her residence.

According to the purported note from a private hospital, Nikki was admitted on August 21 at 6 p.m. in a critical condition. Written in Hindi, the document states: “Ghar par gas cylinder fatne se mareej ko kaafi gambheer roop se jal gaya hai” (The patient has suffered severe burns due to a gas cylinder explosion at home). The English entry reads: “Burn at home, due to blast of cooking cylinder.” It also records that Nikki was brought in by a relative, Devendra.

Hospital staff informed Noida Police that Nikki herself had said she was injured while cooking when the cylinder exploded. However, investigators later confirmed that no such blast occurred in her home. Instead, officers recovered an empty bottle of thinner and a lighter from the premises, raising fresh questions about the circumstances leading to her death.

Meanwhile, police are seeking to record the statement of Nikki’s sister, Kanchan, after the memo surfaced. Kanchan and her family had earlier alleged that Nikki was deliberately set ablaze by her husband, Vipin Bhati, at their Sirsa residence.

On Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh State Women’s Commission member Meenakshi Bharala visited the bereaved family in Greater Noida, assuring them of an impartial investigation and a fast-tracked trial in the case. According to IANS, the emotional toll on the family was evident: Nikki’s mother fainted multiple times while recounting her ordeal, while her sister Kanchan collapsed during her testimony and was later hospitalized with low blood pressure and dehydration from excessive grief.

Following a complaint lodged by Kanchan on August 21, police registered an FIR under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Nikki’s husband, Vipin Bhati, along with his parents and brother Rohit, have since been arrested.

The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to reconcile the conflicting accounts and establish the exact sequence of events leading to Nikki Bhati’s tragic death.