Foreign woman living in Gokarna cave with two children rescued; Visa expired
Gokarna
In a dramatic rescue operation, a Russian national and her two young daughters were safely rescued from a dangerous forest cave near the Ramateertha Hill in Gokarna, where they had been living in isolation. The woman, identified as 49-year-old Nina Kutina, was found residing in a cave with her daughters Prema (approximately 6 years old) and Ama (4 years old).
The discovery was made around 5:00 PM on July 9 during a routine patrol by Gokarna Police Inspector Sridhar S R and his team, who were inspecting the hill area to ensure tourist safety. They stumbled upon the family deep within a forested area in a hazardous cave known for past landslides and venomous creatures.
Upon questioning, Kutina explained that she had come from Goa seeking a secluded spiritual retreat for prayer and meditation. She chose the hill cave as a place of worship and contemplation.
Due to the dangers posed by the terrain and environment, the police convinced her to relocate to safety. She and her daughters were escorted to the ashram of Yogaratna Saraswati Swamiji, a respected 89-year-old female spiritual leader at Bankikodlu village in Kumta taluk, with the assistance of women police personnel.
Authorities noted that Kutina was unwilling to provide valid documentation for herself or her children and showed reluctance in disclosing passport and visa details. With the help of child welfare officials and spiritual intermediaries, she later revealed that her documents may have been lost in the forest.
A joint search by the police and forest department around the cave area led to the recovery of her passport and visa, which revealed that her visa had expired on April 17, 2017—over eight years ago.
Kutina and her daughters have since been placed under the care of the Women and Child Welfare Department’s shelter home for safety. The authorities have contacted the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Bengaluru and initiated correspondence to arrange her repatriation to Russia.
She will be produced before the FRRO office in Shantinagar, Bengaluru on July 14, 2025, under police escort for further legal proceedings and deportation arrangements.
For more Karnataka news development click here