Mystery surrounds Russian mum and children found in Indian cave

In the forests of Karnataka, India, a Russian woman named Nina Kutina was discovered living in a cave with her two young daughters. The police found them during a routine patrol near the Ramteertha hills, an area close to the popular tourist destination of Goa. Nina, who is 40 years old, and her daughters, aged six and five, did not have the proper documents to stay in India. As a result, they were taken to a detention center for foreigners near Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka, and are expected to be sent back to their home country soon.

Nina Kutina has spoken out about her unusual lifestyle, saying in video interviews that she and her daughters were happy living in the cave. She believes that being close to nature is good for their health. However, the police were concerned for their safety because the forest is known to have many snakes and wild animals, and it can be dangerous, especially during the rainy season when landslides are common. The police said they started patrolling the area more often to protect tourists. During one of these patrols, they noticed some bright clothes hanging outside a cave. When they went to investigate, a little blonde girl ran out, and inside they found Nina and her other daughter. The family had very few belongings, just some plastic mats, clothes, and packets of instant noodles. The cave was leaking, and it was not a safe place to live.

Despite the conditions, the children seemed comfortable and were smiling in videos taken by the police. Nina was at first reluctant to leave, telling the police that animals and snakes were their friends, but people could be dangerous. Eventually, the police convinced her to come with them, and she and her daughters were taken to a hospital for a check-up. Doctors said they were healthy. Nina told reporters that she was born in Russia but had not lived there for 15 years. She had traveled to many countries, including Costa Rica, Malaysia, Bali, Thailand, Nepal, and Ukraine. She said she had four children, but her oldest son died in a car accident in Goa last year. Her second son, who is 11, lives in Russia. The police also found out that the girls' father is an Israeli businessman named Dror Goldstein, who is currently in India. He wants to help his daughters and is trying to prevent them from being sent to Russia.

There are still many questions about how and when Nina and her daughters arrived in the forest. She told the police they had been living in the cave for about a week and had bought groceries from a local store. She also said she had lived in a cave in Goa before coming to Karnataka, and that one of her daughters was born in a cave. Nina complained about the detention center, saying it was dirty and there was not enough food. She lost her passport, but the police found an old one that showed she came to India in 2016 on a business visa, which expired in 2017. She overstayed her visa, was caught, and was given an exit permit, but it is unclear when she returned to India. Nina said she came back because she loves India, but her visa has expired again. She explained that she was grieving for her son and could not focus on renewing her visa.

Some people thought Nina was living in the cave for spiritual reasons because a Hindu idol was found there, but she said that was not true. She just liked being in nature because it made her and her daughters healthy. The cave was big and close to a village, so they could buy food and other things they needed. Nina said her daughters were happy, and they spent their days swimming, making art, and eating good food. She did not think living in the forest was dangerous, saying they only saw a few snakes, which can happen in any home. Nina wanted people to know that she took good care of her children and that they were happy living in the cave, even if it was not a traditional home.