In a disturbing incident in Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra, a 50-year-old woman was discovered bound to a tree with an iron chain in a forest. The shocking discovery was made on Saturday evening in Sonurli village, about 450 kilometers from Mumbai, by a local shepherd who heard the woman’s cries for help and alerted the authorities.
Upon reaching the scene, police found the woman in severe distress. Alongside her, officials discovered a photocopy of her US passport and several documents, including an Aadhaar card with an address in Tamil Nadu. She was initially taken to a hospital in Sawantwadi before being transferred to a facility in Oros for further treatment. Due to her critical condition, she was later moved to Goa Medical College, where she has since stabilized and is now out of danger.
Doctors have indicated that the woman has psychiatric issues, and medical prescriptions were found among her belongings. Authorities are conducting an investigation to understand how she ended up in this dire situation and to gather more information about her background.
“We found an Aadhaar card with a Tamil Nadu address and a photocopy of her US passport. She has been identified as Lalita Kayi, and her visa has expired. We are verifying these documents to confirm her nationality and are coordinating with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office,” a police official stated.
Preliminary information suggests that the woman has been residing in India for approximately a decade. Currently, she is unable to provide a statement due to her weakened state, having reportedly gone without food for several days amid heavy rainfall. Authorities are uncertain how long she had been chained to the tree but suspect her husband, who is from Tamil Nadu, may be responsible and has since fled.
Police teams have been dispatched to Tamil Nadu, Goa, and other locations to locate her relatives and further investigate the case.
