A Russian woman who made global headlines after being found living in a cave in India with her two young daughters has flown back to her country, an official told the BBC.
Nina Kutina, 40, and her daughters - aged six and five - were rescued on 9 July by policemen on a routine patrol in a forest in the southern state of Karnataka.
The woman, who did not have valid documents to stay in India, had been sent to a foreigners' detention centre along with her daughters.
Last week, the Karnataka high court asked the federal government to issue documents to Ms Kutina and her daughters to return home.
They left for Russia on 28 September, an official at the Foreigners' Regional Registration Office (FRRO), who wanted to stay anonymous, told BBC Hindi. Ms Kutina's minor son from another relationship, who was later found living in Goa state, also went with them.
The high court had been hearing a petition filed by Dror Shlomo Goldstein, an Israeli businessman living in Goa, who claimed to be the father of the two minor girls. He had asked the court to stop the children from being sent back to Russia and appealed for their custody.
Mr Goldstein hasn't commented on the court order yet. He has the option to appeal against it, but it's not clear whether a judgment in his favour could compel the children to be sent back to India.
Mr Goldstein had earlier told a TV channel that Ms Kutina had left Goa without informing him and that he had filed a police complaint. He also stated that he had been providing for their [the woman and the two minor girls] well-being for a long time.
In the order, the court however noted that despite Mr Goldstein's claims, the mum and the children had rather inexplicably been found in an isolated cave.
Authorities indicated that they had difficulty convincing Ms Kutina that it was dangerous for her and the girls to remain in such an isolated area filled with wildlife. She reportedly insisted that animals and snakes are our friends while expressing contentment with their lifestyles in the cave.
The police found them living amidst sparse belongings, including plastic mats and instant noodles, in an unsafe environment just prior to the onset of the monsoon season.
In court proceedings, Mr Goldstein's lawyer argued against the deportation, citing children's rights under international conventions. However, the government lawyer contended that the case was not an act of deportation, as Ms Kutina had requested to return to Russia, supported by the Russian embassy's offer for emergency travel.
