A RUSSIAN woman living in a cave with her two daughters has revealed how she enjoyed living the idyllic life in the wild.
Russian Nina Kutina, 40, and her two tots had been in total isolation for nearly two weeks – before police found them while patrolling a forest in India.
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Kutina, who is also nicknamed Lady Mowgli, is understood to have come to India on a business visa which expired in 2017, and then re-entered the country in 2018.
The woman claimed she had subsequently travelled from Goa to Gokarna to seek spiritual solitude.
Authorities made the shocking discovery while patrolling Ramatirtha Hill in the beachside town of Gokarna, Karnataka, on July 9.
Officers were combing through the thick forest in a landslide-prone area when they spotted movement near a rocky cave.
To their disbelief, they found Kutina living there with her daughters Prema, six, and Ama, four.
They were staying together in a rough shelter built inside the cave for years after cops said her visa expired nearly eight years ago.
Speaking to India’s ANI news agency, Kutina described a life of swimming in waterfalls, painting and doing pottery.
She said: “We have big experience to stay in nature, in jungle. We were not dying. I did not bring my daughters to die in jungle.
“They did not feel bad. They were very happy.”
“[It was] very comfortable. I have a Telegram channel where I posted pictures of our stay inside the cave showing what we do, how we cook, paint and do clay [pottery].”
The Russian national also reportedly dedicated her days to performing puja (religious ceremonies) and meditation.
The trio survived using plastic sheets to sleep and ate instant noodles frequently, cops said.
Although her intentions were “spiritual”, authorities were left deeply concerned about the safety of her two daughters.
Ramatirtha Hill, where the cave is located, previously experienced a major landslide in July 2024.
It is also home to dangerous wildlife, including venomous snakes – making it a treacherous environment.
The spiritual coastal town of Gokarna is known for its deep religious and meditative roots.
After examining Kutina’s passport and visa documents, it was revealed that she had originally entered India on a business visa valid until April 17, 2017.
She was issued an exit permit on April 19, 2018, and records showed she had subsequently exited to Nepal.
But the woman re-entered India on September 8, 2018, overstaying her permitted duration, and stayed there since.
Officials are now looking into how exactly the family came to be living in the wild in the first place.
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