Chilling Mystery as Mother and Daughters Found Living in Snake-Infested Cave in India
A mysterious case is unfolding in southern India after a Russian woman and her two young daughters were discovered living inside a remote forest cave, surrounded by wildlife and snakes.
On 9 July, Indian police found 40-year-old Nina Kutina and her daughters, aged six and five, during a patrol of Ramatirtha Hill, a scenic tourist spot in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka, near the Goa border.
The family had been staying in a cave in the Gokarna forest, a dense area known for both its natural beauty and its risks, especially during the rainy season.
M Narayana, superintendent of police for the district, told the BBC: "The area is popular with tourists, especially foreigners. But it has a lot of snakes and it's prone to landslides, especially during the rainy season. To ensure the safety of tourists, we started patrolling the forests last year."
Authorities believe Kutina and her daughters had been living in the cave for at least a week before they were discovered. They did not have valid documentation to remain in India, prompting officials to take steps to repatriate her back to Russia.
For now, the family has been relocated to a detention facility for foreign nationals who are staying in the country illegally.
On 9 July, Indian police found 40-year-old Nina Kutina and her daughters, aged six and five, during a patrol of Ramatirtha Hill,
Despite their unusual living conditions, a health check-up confirmed that both the mother and her daughters were physically well. According to officials, Kutina spent her time in the cave meditating by candlelight. She told police she was “interested in staying in the forest and worshipping God.”
But more than a week since the discovery, many questions remain unanswered. The details surrounding why she left Goa and chose to live in isolation with her daughters are still unclear.
Kutina told authorities that she previously worked as a Russian language tutor in Goa. Police suggested her cave stay was motivated by a desire for solitude and nature. “It is nothing but her love for adventure that brought her here,” one official said.
Inside the cave, officers found images of Hindu deities pinned to the rock walls. A photo released by police shows Kutina standing in front of red saris used as makeshift curtains at the cave’s entrance. After her discovery, she reportedly messaged friends saying, "Our peaceful life in the cave has ended – our cave home destroyed."
According to officials, Kutina spent her time in the cave meditating by candlelight.
Convincing Kutina to leave the cave took some time. She had grown attached to the location and the lifestyle. Narayana explained, "The woman and her children appeared quite comfortable in the place. It took us some time to convince her that it was dangerous to live there."
But Kutina responded calmly, saying, "Animals and snakes are our friends. Humans are dangerous."
In an interview with India’s ANI news agency, she explained that their choice to live in the cave wasn’t driven by spiritual beliefs, but by a love for nature.
"It is not about spiritually. We just like nature because it gives us health... it's very big health, it's not like you live in a home."
She added, "We were not dying, and I did not bring my children, my daughters, to die in jungle. They were very happy, they swam in the waterfall, they had a very good place for sleeping, a lot of lessons in art making, we made from clay, we painted, we ate good, I was cooking very good and tasty food."
Kutina also revealed that she is a mother of four. Her eldest son, she said, died in a road accident in Goa last year. Her second son, who is 11, is currently in Russia.
Adding another layer to the mystery, Israeli businessman Dror Goldstein, the girls' father, told NDTV that Kutina had left Goa with their daughters without informing him. He has since filed a missing person complaint with the local authorities.
As investigations continue, the story of the woman in the cave has captured international attention, leaving many wondering what led her to choose such an isolated and risky way of life, and what comes next.
