Honeymoon murder cases fuel surge in private investigations of brides in Madhya Pradesh

A growing wave of suspicion is sweeping through Madhya Pradesh's wedding landscape, with families now turning to private detectives to investigate prospective brides before finalising marriage alliances.

The trend, fuelled by recent high-profile murder cases, reflects rising anxiety around trust and security in arranged and love marriages alike.

Private investigation agencies across the state report a sharp increase in pre-marital background checks, particularly focused on women. These checks go far beyond traditional inquiries, with investigators now delving into everything from social media footprints and past relationships to friendship circles, behavioural traits, and even the criminal records of former partners.

"After the Sonam Raghuvanshi case, we have seen a sharp rise in requests to investigate girls. People want to know about their character, if they have boyfriends, criminal backgrounds... basically, everything," said Rajesh Pandey, head of a local detective agency to NDTV. "We have received 18 such cases recently, and most of them want only this kind of targeted verification," he added.

Historically, such investigations were mostly aimed at uncovering extramarital affairs or hidden financial issues. But detective agencies say the focus has shifted to deeply personal and psychological assessments, often driven by a fear of betrayal or violence.

"Earlier, people would hire detectives only in rare cases. Now we are seeing 70 to 80 inquiries every month," said Subhash Chaudhary, Zonal Head of Action Detective Services. "For some families, a detective is now more important than a pandit. Love marriages and online relationships have led to a new fear – no one wants to take a chance anymore."

These agencies now offer structured verification packages priced between ₹25,000 and ₹1 lakh, which include surveillance, digital forensics, and extensive lifestyle and relationship background checks. Some checklists even track how a woman dresses, her tone of voice, her online hours, and daily routines.

This growing paranoia has been intensified by sensational cases like that of Indore's Sonam Raghuvanshi, who allegedly plotted her husband Raja Raghuvanshi's murder during their honeymoon with help from her boyfriend. In another case, Muskan Rastogi and her partner were accused of killing her husband and hiding his body.

Mental health experts warn of the psychological toll such a culture of suspicion could have on society. "People are adopting crime-show thinking and applying it to real life. Watching too many crime serials is blurring their perception of trust," said Dr Satyakant Trivedi, a clinical psychologist based in Bhopal. "Marriages are supposed to start with trust. Now they start with doubt."