The 50-year-old American woman, who was found tied to a tree with an iron chain in forest in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district, had visited Mumbai in June, police said, adding that the motive behind her visit is still unclear.
With the help of three pairs of locks and keys found from the spot where the woman was chained, police are looking for further clues to get to the root of the case.
When Was The Woman Found?
The woman, identified as Lalita Kayi, was found on July 27 when a shepherd followed a path hearing her cries in the forest at Sonurli village in Sindhudurg. He immediately alerted the police about the woman found chained to a tree.
The cops also found a photocopy of her American passport, her Aadhaar card with a Tamil Nadu address on her. They said that her visa had expired.
Later, the woman was shifted to a hospital in Goa for treatment. Reportedly, the medical prescriptions found in her possession revealed that Kayi was undergoing treatment for a psychiatric illness.
Came To India 10 Years Ago
Officials said that Kayi had come to Tamil Nadu ten years ago to learn yoga and meditation. She married an Indian man in the southern state and lived with him for several years and even got an Aadhaar card.
However, after a fallout with her husband, Kayi moved to Goa for a while and then visited Mumbai in June this year.
An official said that the motive behind her visit to Mumbai is still being verified, adding that it is unclear whom Kayi met and how long she stayed in the city.
Kayi's Note: She Hadn't Eaten For 25 Days
During the probe, the Sindhudurg police had also recovered a note from Lalita Kayi, in which she had written she hadn't eaten anything for the last 25 days.
Sindhudurg Superintendent of Police (SP), Saurabh Kumar Agrawal, said that it was yet to be ascertained as to for how long she had been tied to the tree with the iron chain. "But the note, which police recovered, mentions that she had not consumed anything for the last 25 days," he added.
Kayi, who is now undergoing treatment, was also suspected to be suffering from schizophrenia, police had earlier said.
Police Probe On
SP Saurabh Kumar Agrawal said that police have not recorded Lalita Kayi's statement yet, adding that they are however verifying the information related to her, including from which place in the US she comes from.
Agrawal said that the chain -- with which Kayi was tied -- had a lock and a pair of keys which were found 8-9 metres from the tree.
The keys are rusted due to heavy rains and mud and police are trying to find out if they are of the lock on the chain, he was cited to be saying by news agency PTI.
Agrawal said that two similar pairs of locks and keys were also found in Kayi's bag, adding that the probe is moving in the right direction. The Sindhudurg police have "strong clues related to the woman".
Attempt To Murder Case Against Ex-Husband
The Sindhudurg police on Tuesday registered an attempt-to-murder case against her former husband for tying her to a tree with an iron chain in the forest.
The case, on charges of attempted murder, act endangering life or personal safety of others and wrongful confinement under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), is based on the information mentioned in Kayi's note.
Police teams were sent to Tamil Nadu and Goa to trace the woman's ex-husband and other relatives.
