Noida, 23 August

A woman was allegedly assaulted, dragged by her hair and set ablaze by her in-laws in front of her sister and son in Greater Noida. Her husband has been arrested while a hunt is on to nab others, police said on Saturday.

“Meri mumma ke upar kuch dala, fir unko chanta mara fir lighter se aag laga di. (they poured something on my mother, slapped her and set her ablaze using a lighter),” said the victim's son (aged around six) who witnessed the incident that happened on Thursday night.

Two videos of the horrifying incident are making rounds on the internet. In one of the videos, a man and woman can be seen assaulting the victim and dragging her out of the house by her hair. The other video shows the woman limping down the stairs after being set on fire.

Kanchan, the elder sister of the victim identified as Nikki (in her mid 30s), who was married in the same family had captured the video of the incident that occurred in Sirsa village, under the limits of Kasna Police Station in Greater Noida, they said.

While addressing the media, Kanchan claimed that her younger sister was killed by the husband, Vipin, and in-laws for not meeting their dowry demand of Rs 36 lakhs.

On Thursday night, she was badly beaten up and set on fire by them, claimed Kanchan, who is married to Vipin’s brother.

"We were beaten and tortured for the last many days for dowry. They were demanding Rs 36 lakh in dowry. They carried out atrocities against my sister.”

They hit her in her neck and head and threw acid on her. Our kids were also in the same house. I couldn't do anything. They tortured me as well," said weeping Kanchan while holding her sister’s son in her arms.

Greater Noida Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Sudhir Kumar said, "On 21 August, we received a call from Fortis Hospital informing us that a woman with burn injuries had been admitted and was referred to Safdarjung Hospital. Police immediately left for Safdarjung Hospital, but the woman succumbed to her injuries before the team could reach the hospital."

Kanchan further said that their in-laws wanted her sister to go away so that Vipin can be remarried. “They slapped me. I was injured… unconscious the entire day.”

The Additional DCP said that a case has been registered and the post-mortem was conducted.

“The family performed the last rites of the woman. Based on a complaint filed by the victim's sister, a case was registered against the victim's husband and his family at Kasna Police Station," he added.

"Vipin has been arrested and teams have been formed to apprehend the remaining accused. They will be arrested soon," the officer said.

Nikki was married to Vipin in 2016 and the couple has a son.