A 50-year-old American woman, Lalita Kayi, was discovered chained to a tree and screaming for help in the dense forests of Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district, India. Her cries were heard by a group of shepherds, who alerted local authorities. Police rescued Ms. Kayi, who was found in an emaciated state, and she has since been moved to a psychiatric facility for further treatment.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!In a written statement to the police, Ms. Kayi claimed that her husband chained her to the tree and left her in the forest without food or water. Authorities are currently searching for her husband, believed to be in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, based on information she provided.
Despite the rescue, many questions remain unanswered. Ms. Kayi, a former ballet dancer and yoga practitioner from the United States, reportedly moved to India about a decade ago to study yoga and meditation in Tamil Nadu, where she met her husband. The circumstances leading to her abandonment in the forest, however, remain unclear.
When found, Ms. Kayi had in her possession a copy of her American passport, an Aadhaar card listing an address in Tamil Nadu, a mobile phone, a tablet, and 31,000 rupees ($370). These details allowed the police to rule out robbery as a motive.
Ms. Kayi, who initially communicated by writing notes, alleged that she had been chained for 40 days and given an injection that locked her jaw, preventing her from drinking water. Her claims have yet to be verified by the police, who are investigating the case as attempted murder.
Locals believe it was sheer luck that the shepherds chose that particular area of the vast forest to graze their cattle, as Ms. Kayi could have remained undiscovered for much longer. The police have dispatched teams to Tamil Nadu, Goa, and Maharashtra to further investigate the case and locate her husband, who has not yet been found or made any public statements.
The US embassy in Delhi, reportedly pressuring local authorities to expedite the investigation, has refused to comment on the case, citing privacy concerns under the US Privacy Act.
