Russian Woman Describes 8 Years in Hiding in India, Calls Snake Her Friend

Karnataka police apprehended a Russian woman from a cave on a hill in Gokarna. The woman was hiding with her two daughters. Her visa expired eight years ago.

Karnataka Police rescued a Russian woman and her two children from a cave in the Gokarna area two days ago. The Russian woman's statement during questioning surprised the Karnataka Police. She revealed that she had been living in a natural cave in the Ramteerth hills for the past 14 days. Influenced by Hinduism and spirituality, she first travelled to Goa and then to Gokarna.

Russian Woman Found in Cave with Two Children

The Russian woman was identified as Nina Kutina. Nina told the police that she is deeply attached to forests and enjoys meditating in them. She also expressed sadness about leaving India and returning to her country. Police stated that her visa expired in 2017. In accordance with regulations, the process of sending Nina and her daughters back to Russia has begun. They will be taken to Bengaluru on Sunday. Nina was found in a cave in the Ramteerth hills of Kumta taluka with her two daughters.

Woman in Hiding Since 2018

Police officer Shridhar SR, speaking to The Indian Express, said that Nina first came to India in 2016 on a one-year business visa. She was impressed by the tourism and restaurant businesses in Goa and Gokarna, but instead of returning to Russia after her visa expired on 17 April 2017, she decided to remain in India. In 2018, she obtained an exit permit and went to Nepal for a while, but soon returned to India and went into hiding in the coastal forests of Karnataka.

Avoided Hotels

He said that Nina avoided staying in hotels to avoid being caught. She chose to hide in the forests to protect herself from the police. Shridhar said that while his police team was patrolling the Ramteerth hills, they noticed footprints. This led them to the cave where Nina's daughter was playing, while Nina was asleep with her other daughter. Some Russian books were also found in the cave. The police said the woman had been living there with her two daughters for two months and had been living in hiding for about eight years.

Police Persuaded Her to Leave

Shridhar said the police persuaded Nina to leave, highlighting the risk of landslides and the presence of snakes. Nina responded that snakes are her friends and won't harm her unless provoked. She also mentioned that snakes would often be around her without aggression when she bathed in nearby waterfalls.

Responsible for Own Expenses

It is understood that illegal immigrants are responsible for arranging their own travel funds for repatriation. Therefore, Nina will have to bear her own expenses. Neither the Indian government nor the Russian government provides financial assistance for this. Nina will now have to stay in detention centres designated for deportees. He said that most governments ask illegal immigrants to arrange their own airfare.