Law enforcement officials in India uncovered a family living in a secluded cave
In a unique and intriguing turn of events, a family consisting of a 40-year-old Russian woman named Nina Kutina and her two young daughters, aged 6 and 4, have been living in a remote forest cave near Gokarna, Karnataka, India. The family, who have been homeschooling the children and teaching them meditation, painting, and swimming, were discovered by a police patrol during a routine patrol near the Hindu pilgrimage site of Gokarna.
Despite the peaceful and secluded environment, Nina has been overstaying her Indian visa since 2017, after her business visa expired. Her daughters do not hold Indian citizenship but have spent most or all their lives in India.
The family's love for nature was not previously mentioned, but they have been reported to bathe in streams and wake up with the sun each day. The specific activities of painting, singing songs, and reading books were also reported by ANI.
Indian authorities initiated deportation proceedings after contacting the Russian embassy. The family is currently under the supervision of the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in a state-run restriction center in Tumakuru, Karnataka.
The source of the news is ntv.de and dpa. The Russian woman and her children were moved to this center following the sighting of clothes drying outside their cave home. The deportation will take place once all legal formalities and coordination with the embassy are completed.
The children’s welfare is the key concern voiced by legal experts and the father, emphasizing minimizing trauma and safeguarding their ties to both parents while navigating immigration laws. The children’s father, Dror Goldstein, an Israeli national, has come forward seeking shared custody of the daughters, especially emphasizing that the younger daughter was born in India and may qualify for Indian citizenship. He expressed concerns about safety and loss of contact if the children were deported to Russia.
Nina Kutina had reportedly lived in forests across around 20 countries before settling in India’s cave with her children. The exact location of the forest cave where the family was found was not specified. It is known, however, that the family had been living in this isolated location for approximately two weeks.
The family obtains food from a nearby village, and it was the sight of clothes drying outside the cave that led to their discovery by the police patrol. The information about the family's situation was reported by local media such as the "Hindustan Times" and the "Times of India".
- We, the police in India, have initiated deportation proceedings for a Russian woman, Nina Kutina, and her two young daughters, who have been living in a cave near Gokarna, Karnataka, for approximately two weeks.
- Despite their peaceful and secluded lifestyle, the family has been living illegally in India since 2017, as Nina overstayed her business visa.
- The family's case has gained attention due to their unique living situation and concerns over the children's welfare, with their father, Dror Goldstein, an Israeli national, seeking shared custody to ensure their safety and minimize trauma.
