Emaciated American woman found chained to tree in a jungle in India says ex-husband is the culprit

August 06, 2024

A 50-year-old American woman was found chained to a tree last week in a forest in India. Lalita Kayi Kumar’s screams were heard from inside the forest by a local cow herder, who alerted police. The herder said Kayi was “screaming like an animal.”

The forest, located in the Sindhudurg district, the southernmost district of Maharashtra, has a semi-tropical climate. It is currently rainy season where temperatures soar to 32 degrees and heavy rainfall and monsoon winds are common.

On the evening of July 27, 2024, police followed the screaming where they found the American woman chained to a tree by one of her legs. She looked starved and dishevelled after being caught in a particularly bad bout of recent rainfall.

It was only by luck that shepherds from Sonurli village had heard her screaming that day, as their animals had wandered in the victim’s direction, close enough to hear her screams for help.

Officers sawed into the iron chain to free her, and transported the woman, who appeared emaciated and dressed in unkempt clothing, to a nearby hospital.

She was carried out of the forest on a stretcher, with a small gathering of locals following behind.

Police say she had around $370 in Indian Rupees, as well as her cellular device and tablet, and that they had ruled out robbery as a motive. Some reports state medical prescriptions were also found.

At first she could not communicate verbally, only in writing, but eventually she was able to talk with officers and medical staff in English.

After recovering physically at Goa Medical College, Kayi was then transferred to a psychiatric hospital in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra.

She had a wound on her leg, and according to a doctor, appeared to have a mental health condition, possibly schizophrenia.

In an unofficial written statement to police, she alleged that her ex-husband, whom she said resides in Tamil Nadu, had chained her to the tree and left her to die without food or water. Kayi claimed she went without food or water for a staggering 40 days. These claims are currently being investigated, however doctors stated that her vital signs were stable, and could not estimate for how long exactly Ms. Kayi had not eaten.

Although extremely emaciated, officials find it impossible that she could go 40 days without eating and not die.

Police estimate she may have been chained in the forest for around 48 hours to several days before she was discovered, and they are working to validate the facts and track down her ex-husband.

Amol Chavan, an officer at the scene, said: “When we discovered her, she was seriously dehydrated. It appears that she was stuck there for a minimum of 48 hours."

Police say they are in contact with the U.S. embassy in India.

An image of Kayi’s written statement accompanying reports in various articles reads in part: "Injection for extreme psychosis, which caused severe locked jaw and inability to drink any water. Need intravenous food later-40 days without food in the forest. Husband tied me to a tree in a forest."

"I am a crime victim," she wrote, while surrounded by hospital staff who watched her put pen to paper.

Since they deem her to be unstable, doctors suggested against Kayi providing an official statement to police for the time being.

“We have found medical prescriptions in her possession. She is not in a position to give her statement. She is weak as she has not eaten anything for a couple of days,” they said.

Police were able to confirm the Ms. Kayi's identity, as she had a copy of her passport on her, as well as an Indian I.D card, stating that she lived in the Southern District of Tamil Nadu, over 600 miles away. She is believed to have been staying in India on an expired visa.

According to reports, Mrs. Kayi moved to India from America around a decade ago. In America she said she was a ballet dancer, and had moved to India, specifically Tamil Nadu, to study Yoga, where she met her husband.

“Based on the note written by the woman at the hospital, a case has been registered against her former husband on charges of attempted murder, act endangering life or personal safety of others and wrongful confinement under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita [BNS].”

"There is some progress in the investigation, and we are looking at all possible angles and trying to verify her every claim."

Vikas Badave, one of the officers handling the case, told CBS News: "We registered an attempt to murder case on 30th July. We have very little information about her husband right now."

The woman’s husband has not, at the time of writing, been located.

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