US woman found chained in Maharashtra too weak ‘not eaten anything’

New Delhi: The US woman who was rescued from a forest in Maharashtra on Saturday is too weak to record her statement, NDTV reported citing police.

Identified as Lalita Kayi Kumar, 50, the woman was found tied to a tree with an iron chain in Sonurli village of Sindhudurg district nearly 450 kilometres from the state capital Mumbai. A shepherd heard her cries from the forest and altered the police, according to NDTV.

It is reported that she had not eaten anything in couple of days and she is too weak.

Documents including a photocopy of her US passport, Aadhaar card with 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 was quoted as saying.

The official said that she was taken to Goa Medical College for advanced treatment considering her mental and health condition, adding ‘She is out of danger. Doctors treating her said she suffers from psychiatric problems. We have found medical prescriptions in her possession.’

It is not known how long she remained tied to the tree and police believe her husband who is from Tamil Nadu abandoned her in the forest.

"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 was quoted as saying.

The initial probe by the police reveal that the woman has been living in India for the past 10 years.

Police teams are working in Tamil Nadu, and Goa to trace her relatives.

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