She wanted to crack the medical entrance test, pivoted towards becoming a college lecturer, enrolled in UPSC coaching classes and lived an independent life in Delhi's Uttam Nagar.
"She wanted to create opportunities for other girls in the village. Nikki was their role model. Other girls too wanted to score well, get into college in Delhi, work outside the village, and dream big... Like her," said Nikki's father, Sunil Yadav (46).
But the 22-year-old met a cruel end on February 10 last year when she was strangled in a car inside the parking lot of Nigambodh Ghat in Delhi, and her body was stuffed inside a fridge at a side aba in southwest Delhi's Mitraon village, allegedly by her partner, Sahil Gehlot.
Hours after she was killed, Sahil got married - a photo of which surfaced on social media, post his arrest by the Delhi police on February 14. Three days later, his father, two cousins, and two friends were also arrested under sections pertaining to criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence, and harboring a criminal.
Days after Nikki's body was recovered, however, police found out that Nikki and Sahil who had been together since 2018 - secretly got married in 2020 in Greater Noida.
"Sahil was under family's pressure to marry the woman they had picked for him. His family did not approve of his relationship with Nikki, as she belonged to another caste. Sahil killed Nikki because she learnt about his engagement with another woman and threatened to make their relationship and secret wedding public," said a Delhi Police crime branch officer aware of the investigation.
A year later, Sahil and his five accomplices remain lodged in Tihar jail, Nikki's family battles grief and anger, and the girls of Kheri village wonder why their parents won't let them dream-like Nikki, who was an inspiration to them.
A secret wedding, a secret engagement
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der February 14, 2024-Ausgabe von Hindustan Times.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der February 14, 2024-Ausgabe von Hindustan Times.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
Palestinian PM Resigns Citing 'New Reality' Of War In Gaza
The United States and other powers have called for a reformed Palestinian Authority to take charge of all Palestinian territories after the end of war
Future Perfect: The Kids Are All Right
Gill and Jurel hold out promise by simplifying a challenging chase to help India seal series
Akshay feels 'blessed' to have worked with OG Ramayan cast
Director Akshay K Agarwal shot a music video, Humare Ram Aaye Hai, with the cast of the 1987 TV show, Ramayanactors Arun Govil, Dipika Chikhlia and Sunil Lahri - in Ayodhya recently.
Musk's firm gets nod for Sat Net; joins Jio, Bharti
Starlink, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, has been allowed to offer satellite broadband services in India, two officials aware of the development said.
A temple, 169 years in the making
Through decades of design and reworks, hurdles in engineering and construction, HT pieces together how the grandeur of the Ram Temple was reclaimed
'Political interference' forces Vihari to quit Andhra cricket
After Andhra bowed out of the Ranji Trophy at the quarter-final stage with a four-run defeat to Madhya Pradesh in Indore on Monday, senior batter Hanuma Vihari launched a scathing attack on the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA), saying he will never turn up for the state again.
Shafali, Kapp lead Capitals to a 9-wicket win over Warriorz
A blazing fifty by Shafali Verma (64₹, 43 balls) helped Delhi Capitals make a mockery of a target of 120 and open their account in the second edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL).
Making 'unbelievable things believable', the Ayhika way
The India No. 7 was an inspired pick for the world team event and she repaid the faith, beating the Chinese world No.1
'Connected TVs to reach 45 mn by 2024-end in India'
With improvement in broadband penetration, Indian households are increasingly opting for connected or addressable TVs.
India chip strategy makes progress as $21 billion in proposals received
The Indian government, after years of watching from the sidelines of the chips race, now has to evaluate $21 billion of semiconductor proposals and divvy up taxpayer support between foreign chipmakers, local champions or some combination of the two.
