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‘We only feared people, not animals’: Russian woman on life in Gokarna cave with daughters
The Russian woman's visa had reportedly expired years before her children were even born.
A 40-year-old Russian national who was found living with her two daughters in a cave near Gokarna, Karnataka, has spoken out emotionally about her life in the wilderness.
Identified as Nina Kutina, the woman had been residing in isolation for several years in a remote forested area. Her visa had reportedly expired years before her children were even born. Kutina and her daughters were discovered by local authorities, who cited safety concerns, including venomous snakes and the risk of landslides, and convinced her to leave the cave.
(Also Read: Russian woman stayed in same cave multiple times, say Karnataka police)
According to a detailed report by The Indian Express, she and her daughters were first moved to an ashram and then placed in a women’s reception centre in Karwar under the care of the Department of Women and Child Welfare. Police have initiated deportation proceedings.
In a message sent via WhatsApp to a friend and a police officer, Kutina described her heartbreak at leaving the forest. As per the publication, she wrote in Russian, “And we were placed in a prison without sky, without grass, without a waterfall, with an icy hard floor on which we now sleep for ‘protection from rain and snakes’. I want to share with you solid knowledge based on many years of real experience of living in the jungle, under the open sky, in harmony with nature. Not once in our entire life there did a snake ever harm us. Not a single animal attacked us. For many years, the only thing we feared was people.”
“Rain is the best thing that nature gives us. Living in the rain, having a comfortable place, is a great joy and strength and health. Once again, evil has won. But we sincerely wish every one of you a good life, full of kindness and freedom, free from the narrow-minded views of fools and their harmful actions.”
Police response
Superintendent of Police, Uttara Kannada, Narayana M told The Indian Express that Kutina appeared to be “deeply disillusioned with human society, yet still compassionate and spiritually grounded.”
The deportation process, officials noted, may be complex and expensive, especially since neither the Indian nor Russian governments are likely to cover the costs involved, the report further added.
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