Gokarna, Karnataka: In a bizarre incident from Gokarna, North Kannada district, a Russian woman and her two young daughters were discovered living in a cave deep within the dense forests of the Ramatirtha Hills. The 40-year-old Russian woman, identified as Nina Kutina alias Mohi, and her two daughters, Prema (6) and Emma (4), have been safely relocated, and the process to repatriate them to Russia has begun. Investigations revealed that Nina Kutina’s visa had expired in 2017.
The discovery was made on Wednesday evening around 5 PM by Gokarna Police Station Inspector Sridhar S.R. and his team, who were patrolling the Ramatirtha Hills forest area following recent landslides. They noticed clothes hanging outside a cave, raising suspicions of an unknown person residing within the jungle. Upon investigation, Nina and her two daughters were found living there.
Nina Kutina arrived in India from Russia on a business visa and reached the sacred coastal town of Gokarna via Goa. She is said to be deeply influenced by Hinduism and Indian spiritual traditions. During police questioning, Nina Kutina stated that she had come from Goa with her daughters to worship and meditate, and had been living in the cave. Images of deities were also found inside the cave. Nina practices meditation amidst nature for spiritual peace.
Police explained to Nina that the area is dangerous, with a history of landslides and the presence of venomous animals, including snakes.
Nina and her two daughters have been temporarily accommodated at the Women’s Welcome Center of the Women and Child Welfare Department. Initially, Nina refused to provide her passport and visa information, intending to remain in India. Gokarna police, in collaboration with Forest Department staff, launched a search operation and recovered her passport from near the cave.
Police stated that the “woman and children will be produced before the FRRO office in Shantinagar, Bengaluru, on July 14, under the protection of women police officers for further action. Necessary steps will then be taken for their repatriation to Russia.”
Nina Kutina was issued an exit permit by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), Panaji, on April 19, 2018. After this, she went to Nepal. Nina then re-entered India from Nepal on September 8, 2018. Since then, she has been living in India illegally.
North Kannada District SP M. Narayan stated that it is “very surprising how the woman and her two daughters were living in such an inaccessible place and what they were eating in the jungle. Thankfully, all three remained safe.” It is unclear how long Nina had been living in the cave after arriving from Goa. Given the ages of Nina’s daughters, it is likely that both were born in India, as Nina has not left India since April 19, 2018.
