Not Bengaluru! Heritage city, frequented by Malayalees, claims top spot in most extramarital affairs

Monday 20 October 2025 5:45 PM IST

The grotesque murder of Alpana, a native of West Bengal in Kottayam, by her husband over suspicion of an extramarital affair, sent shockwaves not just to the locality but the whole of the state. In Delhi, a pregnant woman was stabbed to death by her lover in the middle of the road, and later, the woman's husband killed her lover. The country has reported massive murders in recent times over disputes of adultery.

While marriage was once seen as a symbol of a lifelong partnership between two individuals, the recent murder rates tell another story. Extramarital affairs are now a new normal, while couples seeking multiple partners are also on the rise. There may be more than one factor leading to this change in lifestyle among youngsters and elders alike.

According to studies, the number of people engaging in extramarital affairs has increased in various cities in India. However, metropolitan hubs like Delhi, Noida, Chennai, Kolkata, Patna, Lucknow, Bengaluru, Mumbai or Chennai are lagging in the list.

As per the data taken from a leading dating app, the largest number of extramarital affairs is reported in Kanchipuram, a heritage city in Tamil Nadu. Last year, Kanchipuram was in 17th place. But it took the city just one year to reach the top spot. Extramarital affairs are increasing due to widespread urbanisation, employment problems, and the convenience of the internet.

The data also shows that the number of dating app users is high in Delhi-NCR areas like Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, and Gautam Buddha Nagar in Noida. However, Mumbai lags far behind, according to the app's data. Meanwhile, cities like Jaipur, Chandigarh, and Raigad also have a high number of dating app users.