A 40-year-old Russian woman named Nina Kutina, also known as Mohi, was found living in a cave with her two small children in a forest area of Karnataka. The police rescued them from the Ramatirtha hills in the Kumta taluk of Uttara Kannada district. Her children are six-year-old Preya and four-year-old Ama.
Why Was She Living in a Cave?
Mohi came to India from Russia on a business visa. She was very interested in Indian spirituality and Hinduism. After traveling through Goa, she reached the town of Gokarna and then moved into a remote cave in the hills.
For almost two weeks, she and her kids lived there completely alone. The cave was surrounded by thick forest and steep slopes. Inside the cave, Mohi had placed a Rudra idol and spent her time doing puja (prayers) and meditation. She was looking for peace through spiritual practice.
How Were They Found?
The police discovered them during a routine patrol after a recent landslide. Officers noticed clothes hanging outside the cave, which seemed unusual. Circle Inspector Sridhar and his team climbed the hill through thick bushes and found the woman and her children.
What Did the Police Say?
Superintendent of Police M Narayana said, “It was surprising how she and her kids were able to survive in the forest. Thankfully, they were safe and unharmed.”
Police found that Mohi’s Indian visa had expired in 2017. It is still unclear how long she has been living in India. For now, they have arranged for her to stay in an ashram run by a Sadhvi (female spiritual leader). The authorities are now taking her to Bengaluru and starting the deportation process.
With help from a local NGO, the Russian Embassy has been informed, and the necessary steps for her return to Russia have begun.
