India, July 14 -- When 52-year-old F Shaikh (name changed to protect identity) matched with a certain Priya Singh on a dating app in late April, he was elated. Though married for nearly three decades, he was desperate for company as his wife was busy running the family and caring for their children, with little time or appetite for meandering conversations and intimacy that could satisfy his desires.

In early May, as Shaikh made his way to a bar in Borivli, his mind raced ahead to things he hoped to tell Singh, who appeared gorgeous from her photos on the app. She was already present at the hotel when he reached, and their meeting proceeded as he had hoped - they ordered some food and drinks, spoke about what they liked, and made plans f...