A 50-year-old American woman named Lalita Kayi was found tied to a tree in the bush in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra. Police said she visited Mumbai in June, but the exact motives of her trip are yet unknown.

Working to confirm some information regarding Kayi, including her US roots, Sindhudurg police have compiled some records. An official said police are near to reaching conclusions and have significant leads.

According to investigations, Kayi came to Tamil Nadu ten years ago to study meditation and yoga. She married an Indian man, lived with him for several years, and got an Aadhaar card while there. She lived in Goa for a bit after divorcing her husband and paid a visit to Mumbai in June. The reason and length of her Mumbai trip are still under police verification.

After hearing her cries, a shepherd discovered Kayi bound to a tree in Sonurli hamlet, roughly 450 km from Mumbai, on July 27. Police found her Aadhaar card with a Tamil Nadu address and a photocopy of her American passport—which had expired visa. Kayi was brought for treatment to a hospital in nearby Goa.

Police discovered a note from Kayi claiming she had not eaten in 25 days. Although her statement is not yet recorded, Sindhudurg Superintendent of Police Saurabh Kumar Agrawal said the inquiry is moving forward with good leads.

Based on the notes, an attempt-to-murder case has been lodged against her former husband. Police fear Kayi may have schizophrenia and have teams tracking her ex-husband and other relatives in Tamil Nadu and Goa.