Indian police in Karnataka state have discovered a Russian woman living with her two young daughters in a remote cave for reasons unknown. Her visa has expired, and authorities are planning to deport them.
On July 16, Karnataka police reported that on July 9 during a routine patrol at the popular tourist spot Ramatirtha Hill, they found a 40-year-old Russian woman named Nina Kutina residing in a cave with her 6-year-old and 4-year-old daughters for over a week.
Authorities stated that they are taking steps to repatriate Kutina back to Russia as her visa has expired. She and her children have been transferred to a nearby detention center for foreign nationals residing illegally in India.
Kutina was found meditating by candlelight in the cave and told investigators she wanted to stay in the forest to worship God.
Officer Sridhar mentioned that Kutina had worked as a Russian language teacher in Goa, a state in southern India, and had come to the forest due to her love for adventure.
Inside the cave where Kutina stayed, police found images of Hindu deities on the walls. A photo provided by authorities showed her standing in front of a makeshift curtain made of a red saree covering the entrance to the cave.
In an interview with Asian News International (ANI), Kutina revealed that although she was born in Russia, she had not lived there in the past 15 years, having traveled to over 20 countries.
She disclosed having four children in total, with her eldest son dying in a traffic accident in Goa last year, while her 11-year-old son currently resides in Russia.
Authorities are unsure of how and when Kutina and her daughters arrived in the forest in Karnataka, but they learned that the daughters’ father is an Israeli businessman named Dror Goldstein.
Goldstein told NDTV that Kutina did not inform him before leaving Goa, and he reported her missing to local authorities. He expressed his desire to gain joint custody of the daughters and prevent the Indian government from sending them to Russia.
Kutina clarified to ANI that her move to the Karnataka forest was not due to mental reasons. She explained that they simply enjoy nature as it brings them health benefits, contrasting it with living at home.
She emphasized that they have a rich experience living in natural environments and forests, believing her daughters would be healthy and happy there. The cave she chose is described as spacious, beautiful, and conveniently close to the village for purchasing food and necessities.
Kutina denied bringing her daughters into the forest for a dangerous purpose. She stated that they are happy, swim in waterfalls, have a good place to sleep, participate in art classes, make clay crafts, paint, and enjoy delicious food she prepares.
She refuted claims that living in the forest puts her children at risk, mentioning encounters with snakes which she compared to finding snakes at home in kitchens or bathrooms.