A 49-year-old American woman, Lalita Kayi Kumar, was found chained to a tree in a forest near Sonurli village, Goa, after being held there for 40 days.

Discovered by a shepherd who heard her cries, Kumar was too weak to unchain herself and had sustained multiple injuries.

She alleged in a written note that her ex-husband had abandoned her to die, leaving her without food and administering an injection that caused severe jaw locking, preventing her from drinking water.

Kumar was wearing worn-out clothing and was transferred to Goa Medical College for specialist treatment, where doctors expressed concerns about her mental health, including severe depression.

Police have registered a case of attempted murder against her ex-husband and are interviewing relatives, The Telegraph has reported.

Documents indicate that Kumar, originally from Tamil Nadu, had been living in India for the past decade.

Written by B.C. Begley