Karnataka HC Orders Repatriation Of Russian Family Found In Gokarna Cave

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has directed the central government to provide all necessary travel documents for a Russian woman and her two young daughters, who had been living in a cave in Gokarna, Uttara Kannada district, to return safely to their home country. The bench emphasised that the matter requires urgent attention, as the woman and her children had overstayed their visa in India but were seeking to return voluntarily. The decision ensures that the Russian nationals can leave India without undue delay while safeguarding their rights and well-being.

A bench led by Justice BM Shyam Prasad issued the directive while disposing of a petition filed by the woman's husband, Russian resident Dror Shlomo Goldstein. The court noted that all details of the case must be communicated to the Russian government and instructed the central authorities to expedite the process. The woman had formally requested permission to return to Russia with her children, and the Russian government has also instructed its officials to facilitate their repatriation.

Background of the Case

Nina Kutina, along with her husband and children, came to India from Russia in 2016 on a business visa and initially settled in Goa. Their visa was valid from October 18, 2016, to April 2017, but the family overstayed their visa in India. Drawn to Hinduism and Indian spiritual traditions, Kutina had recently been living in a cave on Ramateertha Hill in Gokarna, Uttara Kannada district.

On July 11, 2025, the mother and children were discovered in the cave during a police patrol. They were subsequently sent to a detention center for foreigners in Tumakuru. Following this, her husband, Dror Shlomo Goldstein, arrived in India and filed a petition in the High Court requesting that the central and state governments ensure his daughters were not suddenly deported to any other country and be handed over to his custody.

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