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) stated. Ms Kutina's minor son from another relationship, who was later found living in Goa, also went with them.
The high court had been hearing a petition filed by Dror Shlomo Goldstein, an Israeli businessman living in Goa, who claimed to be 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, but it is unclear whether a judgment in his favor could compel the children to return to India.
In a surprising development, the court noted that despite Mr Goldstein's claims, the mother and the children had rather inexplicably been found in an isolated cave.
The court also raised questions regarding why they had been living there until discovered by authorities.
The police team that found the three had earlier indicated they were on a routine patrol near Ramteertha hills when they noticed brightly colored clothes draping the cave entrance. Upon investigation, they discovered Kutina and her daughters inside, surrounded by minimal possessions like plastic mats and food supplies.
Kutina had defended their cave dwelling, citing a belief in living closely with nature and indicating a sense of happiness in their lifestyle, despite law enforcement's concerns over the dangers presented by wildlife.
Following their discovery, Kunita and her daughters underwent a medical examination before being taken to a detention center.
Mr Goldstein's attorney argued against the deportation based on children's rights laws, but the court clarified that the decision was made in light of Ms Kutina's expressed desire to return to Russia through her correspondence with the embassy.
Documents indicated that the Russian embassy offered Koopa and her children a brief window for emergency travel, ending 9 October 2025.
