Not all that long ago, arranging a marriage involved merely matching janampatris and horoscopes, gotras and castes. Families depended on relatives and chitchat from their communities to veto a prospective spouse. Some amount of pre-marital due diligence is not new, but private investigators across India have reported a huge jump in enquiries for background checks post the Lohagad Fort tragedy. It turns out people are spooked by the story of 20-something Siya Goyal who allegedly pushed her fiancé Ketan Agarwal into a gorge. Today, the first question raised by either side is: has the bride or groom been verified?

Fresh data reveals a profound sociological shift in that signs of dissipation are no longer presumed to be the sole preserve of men; women are being thoroughly scrutinised as well. Post Siya, a respectable family name is no longer a guarantee of having raised an innocent damsel of stellar character.

A quick Google search revealed the exhausting checklist agencies suggest in the age of........

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