Authorities in India are trying to uncover the circumstances behind the discovery of Nina Kutina, a Russian woman found living in a cave with her two daughters in Karnataka's Gokarna forest, prompting questions around their safety and origins.
Life in the Wild: Russian Mother and Daughters Rescued from Cave in India
Life in the Wild: Russian Mother and Daughters Rescued from Cave in India
Indian authorities investigate the unusual case of a Russian mother and her daughters discovered living in a cave in Karnataka.
Karnataka police recently rescued 40-year-old Nina Kutina and her two young daughters, ages six and five, from a cave in the Ramteertha hills during a routine patrol. With no valid documentation for their stay in India, the family has been placed in a detention center for foreigners near Bengaluru, where they await deportation. Despite this, Kutina claims they found happiness and health living in nature, expressing contentment in video interviews.
The area where they were found is popular with tourists but notorious for its dangerous wildlife. The police, initially alerted by brightly colored clothes hanging outside the cave, discovered the family amid sparse living conditions and minimal possessions. Kutina communicated a bond with the surroundings, stating that animals and snakes were "friends" and highlighted the family’s comfort with their lifestyle, which included foraging for food from local shops.
Details about their life and how they ended up there remain unclear, raising many questions. Kutina mentioned in her interviews that she had traveled extensively and had not lived in Russia for the past 15 years. She expressed sorrow over the loss of her eldest son in a car accident in Goa and claimed that her daughters thrived in the jungle environment.
Karnataka police noted that Kutina previously resided in Goa before moving to the forest, where she reported enjoying swimming, art lessons, and cooking from the ingredients she acquired locally. As authorities have contacted her children's father, an Israeli businessman, turmoil surrounds their future, with him advocating for joint custody while the family remains in detention.
While police are examining the legality of their stay, immigration records reveal that Kutina has faced visa issues in the past, suggesting a convoluted journey of international roaming prior to her residing in the cave. As the situation develops, local officials continue to monitor their well-being while seeking clarity on how they came to occupy such a precarious living arrangement, raising significant moral and legal dilemmas over the family's fate.
