The air is heavy in Greater Noida, where the tragic dowry-related death of 28-year-old Nikki Bhati has left her loved ones in deep grief. On an unbearably tragic day, Nikki was allegedly set on fire by her husband and in-laws over escalating dowry demands. 

Despite the agony, her family faced one last, painful decision. When Nikki’s in-laws requested permission to conduct her cremation, the family after much hesitation relented. It was described by her brother, Vicky Payla, as “their last wish,” and a plea by her sister Kanchan that led to a reluctant acquiescence. 

This act of allowing the accused to perform her last rites is laden with sorrow. It underscores how complex grief, cultural expectations, and a history of compromises despite years of alleged harassment can shape even a family’s final decisions. 

The painful backstory remains horrifying. Since their marriages in 2016, Nikki and her sister Kanchan reportedly endured relentless dowry extortion even after gifting the family a Scorpio, gold, and cash. Tensions escalated when Nikki's effort to reopen her beauty parlour clashed with traditional restrictions imposed by her husband. Those fights, tragically, culminated in violence that claimed her life. 

After this injustice, the Noida police immediately arrested four accused - her husband, brother -in -law, mother -in -law and father -in -law. At the same time, his younger son, who saw this violence with his eyes, is carrying an emotional burden today - a horror reminiscent of the truth that some wounds never heal.

This is not just the story of a broken promise, but the bitter truth of society's failure. The final decision of his family may be full of compassion, but it exposes the ongoing tragedy of dowry violence in India further.