Russian woman, her two daughters found in Karnataka cave, visa expired in 2017
Police identified the woman as Nina Kutina, 40, alias Mohi, who had journeyed from Russia to India on a business visa and found her way to Gokarna via Goa, drawn deeply by the Hinduism and Indian spiritual traditions.
Her children, Preya (6) and Ama (4), had accompanied her into the forest, where they had been living in complete seclusion for nearly two weeks.
They had made a humble home inside a natural cave surrounded by dense woods and steep slopes. There, Mohi kept a Rudra idol and spent her days in 'Puja' and meditation.
It was during a routine patrol Friday, following a recent landslide that Circle Police Inspector Sridhar and his team spotted clothes hanging outside the cave. The officers made their way through the thick shrubs of Ramatirtha Hill and found Mohi and her two children in the cave.
Uttara Kannada Superintendent of Police M Narayana, speaking to PTI Saturday, said, 'Our patrolling team spotted saree and other clothes hung for drying outside the cave in Ramatirtha Hill. When they went there, they spotted Mohi along with her children Preya and Ama.'
He added, 'It was surprising how she and her children survived in the woods and what they ate' According to him, the woman may have reached the cave from Goa. It was also found that her visa had expired in 2017. How long she has been living in India remains unclear, he said.
Narayana said, 'We have arranged her stay in an ashram, run by a Sadhvi. We have initiated the process to take her to Bengaluru from Gokarna and begin the deportation process.' With the help of a local NGO, the Russian Embassy was contacted and formalities set in motion to deport her.
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