US woman found in Maharashtra forest tells police she had chained herself to tree
Mumbai, Aug 5: The 50-year-old American woman found tied to a tree with an iron chain in a forest in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district has now told police she had shackled herself and no one else was involved in the incident, an official said on Monday.
The official cited the woman's mental health conditions for her act of self-harm.
The woman, said to be battling with mental health issues, appeared emaciated when a shepherd heard her cries in the forest where she was found tied to a tree with an iron chain on July 27 and alerted the local police, an incident that had caused an uproar and attracted wide media attention. She was rescued by the police and taken to hospital.
The Sindhudurg police recorded the woman's statement on Saturday (Aug 3) during which she said she brought three locks and iron chains and used one of the locks and chains to tie herself to a tree in a forest near Sonurli village in the coastal district, around 460km from Mumbai, the official said.
The police had recovered a pair of keys used to lock the iron chain a few metres away from the spot where she was found. It was still unclear for how many days she was tied to the tree, he said.
In the statement, the American woman also told the police she does not have a husband, the official said.
During investigation, the police came to know her mother resides in the US, but so far nobody from the family has contacted them, he said.
Meanwhile, the woman was brought to Regional Mental Hospital in Ratnagiri where she is being treated at the psychiatric department, he said.
Sometimes the woman experiences hallucinations and during one such moment she must have said that her former husband had tied her to the tree, said the official.
After the American woman was rescued, the police had recovered a note from her bag in which she had mentioned that her "former husband" had tied her to the tree. Based on the note, the police had registered an attempt to murder case against her former husband without naming him and launched a search for him.
The police had recovered a photocopy of her US passport and an Aadhaar card with a Tamil Nadu address. A copy of her expired visa was also found in her possession.
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Karnataka offers extensive incentives in its proposed IT policy
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka has proposed a new Information Technology Policy for 2025–2030, offering extensive financial and non-financial incentives aimed at accelerating investments, strengthening innovation and expanding the state's tech footprint beyond Bengaluru.
The Karnataka Cabinet gave its nod to the policy 2025–2030 with an outlay of Rs 445.50 crore on Thursday after the Finance Department accorded its approval.
The policy introduces 16 incentives across five enabler categories, nine of which are entirely new, with a distinctive push to support companies setting up or expanding in emerging cities.
Alongside financial support, the government is also offering labour-law relaxations, round-the-clock operational permissions and industry-ready human capital programmes to make Karnataka a globally competitive 'AI-native' destination.
According to the policy, units located outside Bengaluru will gain access to a wide suite of benefits, including research and development and IP creation incentives, internship reimbursements, talent relocation support and recruitment assistance.
The benefits also include EPF reimbursement, faculty development support, rental assistance, certification subsidies, electricity tariff rebates, property tax reimbursement, telecom infrastructure support, and assistance for events and conferences.
Bengaluru Urban will receive a focused set of six research and development and talent-oriented incentives, while Indian Global Capability Centres (GCCs) operating in the state will be brought under the incentive net.
Incentive caps and eligibility thresholds have been raised, and the policy prioritises growth-focused investments for both new and expanding units.
Beyond incentives, the government focuses on infrastructure and innovation interventions.
A flagship proposal in the policy is the creation of Techniverse -- integrated, technology-enabled enclaves developed through a public-private partnership model inside future Global Innovation Districts.
These campuses will offer plug-and-play facilities, artificial intelligence and machine learning and cybersecurity labs, advanced testbeds, experience centres, and disaster-resistant command centres.
There will also be a Statewide Digital Hub Grid and a Global Test Bed Infrastructure Network, linking public and private research and development, and innovation facilities across Karnataka.
The government has proposed a Women Global Tech Missions Fellowship for 1,000 mid-career women technologists, an IT Talent Return Programme to absorb experienced professionals returning from abroad, and broad-based skill and faculty development reimbursements.
Shared corporate transport routes in Bengaluru and tier-two cities will be designed with Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation and other transport entities to support worker mobility.
The government said the policy is the outcome of an extensive research and consultation process involving TCS, Infosys, Wipro, IBM, HCL, Tech Mahindra, Cognizant, HP, Google, Accenture and NASSCOM, along with sector experts and stakeholder groups.
It estimates an outlay of Rs 967.12 crore over five years, comprising Rs 754.62 crore for incentives and Rs 212.50 crore for interventions such as Techniverse campuses, digital grid development, global outreach missions and talent programmes.
