A Russian woman who made global headlines after being found living in a cave in India with her two young daughters has flown back to her country, an official told the BBC.
Nina Kutina, 40, and her daughters - aged six and five - were rescued on 9 July by policemen on a routine patrol in a forest in the southern state of Karnataka.
The woman, who did not have valid documents to stay in India, had been sent to a foreigners' detention centre along with her daughters.
Last week, the Karnataka high court asked the federal government to issue documents to Ms. Kutina and her daughters to return home.
They left for Russia on 28 September, an official at the Foreigners' Regional Registration Office (FRRO), who wanted to stay anonymous, told BBC Hindi. Ms. Kutina's minor son from another relationship, who was later found living in Goa state, also went with them.
The high court had been hearing a petition filed by Dror Shlomo Goldstein, an Israeli businessman living in Goa, who said he was the father of the two minor girls. He had asked the court to stop the children from being sent back to Russia and appealed for their custody.
Mr Goldstein hasn't commented on the court order yet. He has the option to appeal against it, but it's unclear whether a judgment in his favour could compel the children to return to India.
In the order, the court stated that despite Mr Goldstein's claims, the mum and the children had rather inexplicably been found in an isolated cave.
The police team that found the three had previously said they were on a routine patrol near Ramteertha hills in the Gokarna forest, when they spotted brightly coloured clothing hanging near a cave. Upon investigation, they discovered Ms. Kutina and her children living in the cave.
The police had a tough time convincing Ms. Kutina that it was dangerous for them to stay there, citing risks from local wildlife. According to police reports, she stated, Animals and snakes are our friends. Humans are dangerous. She maintained that they had been living in the cave for about a week at the time of their discovery.
Despite the alarming circumstances, Ms. Kutina defended her lifestyle in interviews, claiming she and her children were happy living off the land.
This case, now resolved in the court, raises significant questions about parental rights, child welfare, and immigration—as Ms. Kutina had expressed her desire to return to Russia, assisted by the Russian embassy.
