Russian Woman and Daughters Found Living in Indian Forest Cave to Escape Urban Life

A Russian woman, Nina Kutina, and her two daughters, aged six and four, were found living in a cave in the forests near Gokarna, Karnataka, during a police patrol on 9 July. The family had been residing in the cave for at least a week and had spent several periods there over the past nine months, according to police.

Kutina told officers she chose the cave to meditate, pray, and distance her family from modern urban life. She described their routine as waking with the sun, swimming in rivers, cooking meals on a fire or gas stove, and bathing in waterfalls. Kutina told police that animals and snakes were not a threat, insisting that only humans posed danger.

Despite her objections, police removed the family from the cave, citing safety concerns, and placed them in a shelter after a medical checkup. M Narayana, a local police superintendent, described Kutina as "deeply disillusioned with human society, yet still compassionate and spiritually grounded."

Kutina, who first arrived in India in 2016, had previously overstayed her visa and was deported before returning in 2020. She cited personal losses, including the death of her eldest son, as reasons for remaining in India without valid documents. Authorities have since moved the family to a detention centre and are arranging for Kutina's deportation to Russia.