Daijiworld Media Network – Gokarna
Gokarna, July 12: In a dramatic rescue operation, Gokarna Police saved a Russian woman and her two minor daughters, who were found living in a forest cave atop Ramatirtha Hill in a remote and landslide-prone area near Gokarna in Uttara Kannada district.
The woman, identified as Nina Kutina (40), was found on July 9 around 5 pm by a police team led by Inspector Sridhar S R during a routine patrol aimed at ensuring the safety of tourists and pilgrims in the area.
While combing through the forest zone, officers noticed movement near a dangerous hillside cave and discovered Nina along with her daughters — Prema (6 years, 7 months) and Ama (4 years) — residing there in a makeshift dwelling.
Nina, who reportedly arrived in Gokarna from Goa, told authorities that she sought spiritual solitude and had been meditating and praying inside the cave near a small Rudra idol she had placed. She expressed a desire to disconnect from urban life and be closer to nature. However, the police were deeply concerned about the safety of her young children, given the presence of wild animals, venomous snakes, and the high risk of landslides, especially since the same region had witnessed a major landslide in July 2024.
Despite initial reluctance, Nina agreed to leave the cave after repeated counselling. At her request, she was relocated to an ashram run by Swami Yogaratna Saraswati, an 80-year-old female monk in Bankikodla village, Kumta taluk.
Suspicions were raised when Nina refused to produce her passport or visa, citing various excuses. After gentle persuasion by the police, child welfare officials, and the ashram management, she revealed that her documents were possibly lost in the forest cave.
A joint search operation by Gokarna police and forest department led to the recovery of her passport and visa papers. Upon verification, officials discovered that Nina had originally entered India on a business visa that expired on April 17, 2017.
An exit permit had been issued by the FRRO in Panaji, Goa in April 2018, and records indicated that she had exited to Nepal, but re-entered India on September 8, 2018, thereby overstaying her visa for several years.
Following this violation, Nina and her daughters were shifted to the women's reception centre in Karwar, operated by the Department of women and child development, for protective custody.
The superintendent of police, Uttara Kannada, has initiated formal communication with the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Bengaluru to begin deportation procedures. The family will be produced before FRRO officials in Bengaluru for further legal processing.
Police sources say Nina’s interest in spirituality and nature drove her to live in isolation. However, risking the lives of children in such harsh and unsafe conditions has raised serious concern, and the matter is being closely monitored by law enforcement and child welfare departments.