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Russian mother defends life with daughters in Indian cave
A Russian mother has been living in a cave in India with her two daughters for years. She defends her decision and describes a happy life in nature. Authorities are planning to return home.
Russian mother defends life with daughters in Indian cave
A Russian woman and her two young daughters were discovered in a cave deep in the forests of southern India years after their travel permits expired, local authorities reported. Nina Kutina, 40, and her daughters, ages six and four, were discovered on July 9 during a patrol on Ramatirtha Hill, a tourist-frequented site in the southern Indian state of Karnataka that is prone to landslides.
Living conditions in the cave
Police said the family had been living in the cave for years. Kutina's visa expired eight years ago. In an interview with Indian news agency ANI, the mother defended her decision to live in secret with her daughters. She described a life filled with swimming in waterfalls, painting and making pottery. "We have great experiences to live in nature, in the jungle. We didn't die. I didn't bring my daughters to die in the jungle," Kutina said in English while sitting next to her daughters in a car.
The family's travel story
Kutina explained that their visas “recently expired” and that their family had already lived in four countries before coming to India in 2017. According to police records, she arrived in Goa on a business visa that expired in April 2017. After a short trip to Nepal in September 2018, she returned to India again.
Safety concerns and outlook
The police department reported that Kutina was unwilling to provide correct details about her passports and visas. Additionally, she did not specify whether her children were born in India or Russia, but said she had a son who died in Goa. “She doesn't want to go as she loves nature, but we have to follow the procedure,” said Superintendent of Police M. Narayana. He pointed out that it posed a security risk that Kutina had been in India since 2017 without the knowledge of local authorities. “Living in caves is dangerous, especially with two children, and spending a week or more there is amazing,” Narayana added.
Return measures
The authorities are taking measures to return Kutina and her children, who do not have passports, to Russia. They were taken to a nearby detention center created specifically for foreigners living in India illegally. CNN has contacted the Russian Embassy for comment.