In a stunning turn of events, an American woman, Lalita Kayi Kumar, was found shackled in a jungle in India.
She survived an incredible forty days without food until a local shepherd discovered her and notified the authorities.
Fifty-year-old Lalita Kayi Kumar, a US citizen, was discovered with her passport and other identifying documents, including an expired Indian passport. Rushed to a local hospital for urgent care, her story began to unfold.
Kumar had reportedly lived in India for the past decade with her husband, Satish, who is now the focus of a police investigation.
Unable to speak due to her harrowing experience, Kumar managed to write from her hospital bed, “Husband tied me to a tree in a forest.”
Authorities have questioned several people as the investigation spreads beyond Sindhudburg district, where she was found near Sonurli village, roughly 280 miles from Mumbai.
She was chained to a tree with an iron chain, her right leg swollen and severely dehydrated.
On a Saturday morning, a cattle herder heard loud noises coming from the dense forest and found Kumar.
Police arrived and used a cutter to free her from the chain.
Initially treated at a primary healthcare center in Sawantwadi, she was later moved to a more advanced facility for ongoing care. Footage from the hospital showed her writing a note about her condition, claiming her husband abandoned her in the forest following a domestic dispute and that she hadn’t eaten in over a month.
Police have charged Satish with attempted murder, endangering life, and wrongful confinement.
A police official told The Telegraph Online that doctors reported Kumar suffering from psychiatric issues, with medical prescriptions found in her possession.
Although she is weak and not ready to give a formal statement, officials confirm she is “out of danger” and doing “fine” under observation.
Kumar’s Background
Born in the US, Kumar had been living in Goa, a neighboring state, for some time.
Married to a man from Tamil Nadu, the same state as Vice President Kamala Harris’ mother, she had been in India for at least ten years.
Authorities recovered a photocopy of her US passport and her national identity card from the scene, noting that her visa had expired.
Survival Without Food
The exact duration a person can survive without food remains unclear, primarily due to ethical constraints on scientific experimentation. Historical cases, such as Mahatma Gandhi’s 21-day hunger strike, provide some insight.
In a 1997 article in the British Medical Journal, Michael Peel cites documented cases of people surviving up to 40 days without food.
Starvation leads to the body breaking down stored fat and muscle tissue for energy, causing severe physical and mental effects. Without water, however, survival drops to just a few days due to rapid dehydration and organ failure.
Conclusion
Kumar’s story is a harrowing reminder of human endurance and the dire consequences of domestic violence. As she recovers, the investigation continues, shedding light on the circumstances that led to her unimaginable ordeal.
TDPel Media
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