Houston: An Indian couple flew 13,000km to help “discipline” their daughter-in-law, police in Florida say.

Silky Gaind, 33, was rescued after authorities received a call from India that she was being physically abused and held against her will by her husband and in-laws.

Jasbir Kali, 67, and his wife Bhupinder, 62, are said to have travelled from the Punjab region to Hillsborough County to help “counsel and discipline” son Devbir’s wife, BBC reported.

Battered and bruised

Gaind was discovered battered and bruised by a police officer on Saturday after getting a message to her parents, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office said. When a deputy arrived, no one responded to the repeated knocks. Gaind attempted to open the door and screamed for him to help her and her one-year-old daughter. The deputy forced his way in and found that Gaind was severely bruised.

The husband and his parents were arrested and were being held without bond, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

Her in-laws and husband are now facing multiple charges, including battery.

Her father-in-law, who had been visiting with his wife for about a month, also allegedly held a knife to her throat.

At a court hearing on Sunday, Gaind told a judge her 33-year-old husband had left her in fear for her life.

“I am so scared, because last night he was telling me he was going to kill me if I call the police. He would kill me to death, you know? He told me it would take 10 minutes for police to come and before that he would kill me and then kill himself,” she said, according to Bay News 9.

WFLA reported Jasbir Kalsi was facing charges of aggravated battery with a knife, while her husband Devbir had been charged with felony battery.

Both are charged with false imprisonment, child abuse and denying access to 911.

Bhupinder Kalsi was charged with battery domestic violence and failure to report child abuse.

The three could face deportation back to India. Gaind and her infant were put in a safe place, the sheriff’s office said.

Investigators said the parents of her 33-year-old husband Devbir Kalsi had travelled from India to the US and used to beat her up.

Kalsi beat Gaind “repeatedly and forcefully” after the couple had a fight on Friday, it said.

Kalsi’s parents, father Jasbir and mother Bhupinder, started hitting her after Gaind attempted to defend herself.

The infant was accidentally struck in the face while Gaind was holding her during the attack, the report said.

The parents hit Gaind and left her with bruises on her face, neck and torso before Jasbir threatened to stab her with a kitchen knife, the report said.

After the fight, the woman was locked in a room.

Devbir and Jasbir may face “charges of false imprisonment, child abuse and denying access to 911”. Devbir could also face felony battery charge.

Jasbir was accused of “aggravated battery with a deadly weapon”, the report said.

Bhupinder could face “charges of battery domestic violence and failure to report child abuse”, it said.