Authorities are investigating the case of a 50-year-old American woman, Lalita Kayi Kumar, who was discovered chained to a tree in a forest in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district. Due to severe weakness and lack of food for several days, she has been unable to provide a statement to the police, officials said on Monday.
Kumar was found in the Sonurli village, approximately 450 kilometers from Mumbai, on Saturday after a shepherd heard her cries and notified the authorities. A photocopy of her US passport and other documents, including an Aadhaar card listing a Tamil Nadu address, were recovered from her.
“The woman is not in a position to give her statement. She is weak as she has not eaten anything for a couple of days and also as the area experienced heavy rains,” an official said.
Initially, she was taken to a hospital in Sawantwadi in Maharashtra’s Konkan region before being transferred to Oros in Sindhudurg. Due to her deteriorating mental and physical condition, she was subsequently moved to Goa Medical College for advanced treatment. “She is out of danger. Doctors treating her said she suffers from psychiatric problems. We have found medical prescriptions in her possession,” the official added.
The police suspect that Kumar’s husband, who is from Tamil Nadu, may be behind the incident. “We found her Aadhaar card with a Tamil Nadu address and a photocopy of her US passport. Her visa has expired. We are getting all these documents verified to ascertain her nationality. Police are also in touch with the Foreigners Regional Registration office,” the official said.
Preliminary information suggests that Kumar has been in India for the past ten years. Police teams have been dispatched to Tamil Nadu, Goa, and other locations to trace her relatives as part of the ongoing investigation. The duration for which she was tied to the tree remains unknown as the inquiry continues.
