American Woman Rescued After Being Chained in India
Image Source: BBC
American Woman Found Starving and Chained to Tree in India
An American woman was found chained to a tree and screaming in a forest in Maharashtra, India. Lalita Kayi, 50, was discovered a week ago in Sindhudurg district after locals heard her cries for help. They notified the police, who freed her by cutting off the chain.
Kayi, who was very weak, was taken to a hospital where her health has since improved. On Friday, she was moved to a psychiatric facility for further care. Kayi has told the police that her husband chained her to the tree and left her there without food or water.
Police are searching for her husband in Tamil Nadu, based on the information she provided. Despite her rescue, many details about the case are still unclear.
Pandurang Gawkar, who found Kayi, said he heard her screaming while grazing his cattle. He described seeing her leg tied to the tree and her desperate condition. Villagers and police quickly arrived to help.
Police discovered Kayi had her passport, an Indian ID card, a mobile phone, a tablet, and 31,000 rupees with her. This suggests theft was not the motive. They noted it was fortunate Gawkar was in the area, as the forest is vast and she might have remained unnoticed otherwise.
Kayi was first taken to a local hospital, then transferred to a hospital in Goa. Doctors reported she had leg wounds and appeared to have a mental health condition. On Friday, her condition improved enough for her to be moved to a psychiatric hospital in Ratnagiri.
Kayi, who speaks only English, was a ballet dancer and yoga teacher from the US, specifically from Massachusetts. She moved to India about 10 years ago to study yoga and meditation, where she met her husband. Police believe they may have had a falling out.
Kayi has been unable to explain clearly how she ended up in the forest. She initially communicated with the police and doctors by writing notes. She claimed she was tied to the tree for 40 days without food or water and was given an injection that locked her jaw.
Police are investigating her claims, including the possibility of her surviving without food or water for so long. They have filed an attempted murder case against her husband and are investigating in Tamil Nadu, Goa, and Maharashtra. The US embassy in Delhi has declined to comment on the case due to privacy regulations.
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