Latest news with #SridharSR
New York Times
6 days ago
- New York Times
Indian Police Discover a Russian Woman Living in a Cave With Two Daughters
While on patrol last week looking for any tourists who might have gotten stuck in the landslide-prone forests in the southern Indian town of Gokarna, police inspector Sridhar S.R. spotted a statue of a Hindu deity peeking out through the lush green vegetation. Moving closer, he saw makeshift curtains made of red saris that obscured the entrance to a cave. When he looked in, he was surprised to find a woman and two young girls living inside. The discovery on July 9 in Karnataka State set off days of sleuthing by police and government officials to piece together a nine-year odyssey that had led her to the cave. The woman, it turned out, was a 40-year-old Russian national named Nina Kutina. She had been living in the cave, which she sometimes used as a retreat, for a week with her daughters, aged 4 and 6. She practiced yoga and meditated by candlelight, and cooked on a wood-fired stove, Mr. Sridhar said. Photos of Hindu deities lined the walls. 'Caves are heaven in her mind-set,' Mr. Sridhar said. Mr. Sridhar and his team initially tried to cajole Ms. Kutina into leaving the cave in the gathering dark, given the area's heavy rainfall, perilous location and reputation as a habitat for poisonous snakes. But Ms. Kutina told them that she was 'interested in staying in the forest and worshiping God,' said M. Narayana, the superintendent of police for Uttara Kannada, the district in which Gokarna sits. The cave is in the town's Ramateertha hills, where seasonal waterfalls and landslides are common. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
NDTV
12-07-2025
- NDTV
Russian Woman Found Living In Cave With 2 Daughters In Karnataka
Gokarna: A Russian woman and her two young daughters were found living in a remote and dangerous cave atop the Ramatirtha Hill in Karnataka's Gokarna. During a patrol, the Gokarna police discovered the three in a makeshift dwelling deep within the forest. The incident came to light on July 9 around 5:00 PM, when Inspector Sridhar SR and his team from Gokarna Police Station were patrolling the Ramatirtha Hill area to ensure the safety of tourists. While combing through the forest, they noticed movement near a cave located in a hazardous, landslide-prone zone. Upon investigation, they discovered Nina Kutina (aged 40), a woman of Russian origin, residing inside the cave with her two daughters Prema (6 years, 7 months) and Ama (4 years). When questioned, Nina claimed that she had travelled from Goa to Gokarna seeking spiritual solitude. She explained that she chose to live in the forest cave to engage in meditation and prayer, away from the distractions of urban life. While her intentions were spiritual, the authorities were deeply concerned about the safety of the children in such an environment. Ramatirtha Hill, where the cave is situated, had experienced a major landslide in July 2024 and is home to dangerous wildlife, including venomous snakes, making it a perilous place. After counselling the woman and informing her of the dangers, the police team successfully rescued the family and escorted them down the hill. As per the woman's request, she was relocated to an ashram run by Swami Yogaratna Saraswati, an 80-year-old female monk, in Bankikodla village of Kumta taluk. As the authorities probed further, it became evident that Nina was reluctant to share details about her passport and visa status. Upon further questioning and gentle persuasion by police, welfare officers, and the ashram head, she eventually revealed that her documents may have been lost somewhere in the forest cave. A joint search operation by Gokarna Police and Forest Department officials led to the recovery of her passport and visa documents. Examination revealed that Nina had originally entered India on a Business Visa valid until April 17, 2017. An Exit Permit had been issued by the FRRO Panaji, Goa on April 19, 2018, and records showed she had subsequently exited to Nepal and re-entered India on September 8, 2018, thereby overstaying her permitted duration. Considering this visa violation, the woman and her daughters were moved to the Women's Reception Centre in Karwar, run by the Department of Women and Child Development, where they are currently being kept in protective custody. The Superintendent of Police, Uttara Kannada, has initiated official correspondence with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), Bengaluru, to facilitate the deportation of the woman and her two children back to Russia. The family will soon be produced before FRRO authorities in Bengaluru for further proceedings.
