Russian Woman And Her Daughters Rescued From Karnataka Cave After Two Weeks In Isolation

A Russian woman and her two young daughters were rescued from a remote cave in Karnataka’s Ramatirtha Hills. The rescue was carried out by Gokarna police during a routine patrol focused on tourist safety in the forested region on Wednesday.

The woman, identified as 40-year-old Nina Kutina, was found living in isolation with her daughters Prema, 6, and Ama, 4. The family had been staying in a secluded cave in the dense forest area for nearly two weeks. The spot is considered landslide-prone and largely inaccessible, raising serious safety concerns.

Circle Inspector Sridhar S.R. and his team first noticed clothes sarees and other garments hanging outside a cave while surveying the area due to a recent landslide. Curious, they trekked through thick vegetation and were shocked to find Kutina and her daughters living quietly inside.

The cave had been modestly converted into a living space. Inside, Kutina had installed a Rudra idol and appeared to be fully immersed in worship and meditation, indicating her deep connection to Indian spiritual traditions. She reportedly came to India driven by a spiritual calling and admiration for Hindu philosophy.

Police promptly took the woman and her daughters out of the cave and immediately relocated them to an ashram at the nearby village of Bankikodla. They were taken care of by local spiritual leader, 80-year-old Swami Yogaratna Saraswati.

Speaking on the incident, the Superintendent of Police (Uttara Kannada), M. Narayana said, “Our on-patrol team spotted some clothes hanging, which they identified as coming from a cave in the Ramatirtha Hills. When they investigated it, they discovered Kutina and her children were living there. While it was surprising to see how they have sustained life in this dry and inhospitable forest, we were simply relieved they were not in danger.”

Further investigation confirmed regarding Kutina’s entry into India on a business visa on October 18, 2016, expiring on April 17, 2017, and an exit permit was issued by the Foreigners’ Regional Registration Office (FRRO), Panaji, on April 19, 2018. She later departed for Nepal and returned to India early on September 8, 2018.

Initially, she was unable to produce valid documents, claiming her passport and visa were lost in the forest. However, after a joint search by Gokarna Police and the Forest Department, her documents were recovered from the cave.

In light of visa violations and for their safety, the woman and her daughters were relocated to the Government Women’s Shelter in Karwar, under the Department of Women and Child Welfare.

The SP office has now initiated formal proceedings with the FRRO, Bengaluru. With the help of a local NGO, the Russian Embassy has been contacted, and repatriation formalities are underway to ensure their safe return home.

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