MAHARASHTRA, INDIA- A 50-year-old American woman was found chained to a tree in a forest in Maharashtra, India. Lalita Kayi was rescued from a dense forest in the Sindhudurg district by a shepherd who heard her cries for help on Saturday night. She was found in a severely weakened state and was too frail to speak when taken to Goa Medical College for specialized treatment.
In a note written in English, Kayi claimed that she had spent “40 days without food in the forest” after she was tied to the tree with an iron chain by her husband. She also spoke of having “extreme psychosis” and authorities discovered medication for mental health issues on her person. However, police are investigating the situation as a possible attempted murder case involving her estranged husband.
Police Superintendent Saurabh Agrawal stated, “Police are also trying to verify if the woman’s claim that she was chained by her former husband was genuine.” Kayi’s American passport was found with her alongside an expired visa that indicates she had been living in India for at least 10 years. There were also documents suggesting that she’d been residing in Tamil Nadu with her husband.
According to Amol Chavan, an inspector at Sawantwadi Police Station, Kayi was severely dehydrated when they discovered her, suggesting she was alone for at least 48 hours. The police had to cut down the tree and break the lock to free Kayi. While it remains unconfirmed how long Kayi was tied to the tree, the area recently experienced a heavy downpour.