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 claimed to be the father of the two minor girls. He had appealed for their custody and requested to stop the children from being sent back to Russia.
Mr. Goldstein has not publicly commented on the court's decision yet and has the option to appeal against it. Whether a judgment in his favor could lead to the children's return to India remains uncertain.
The court noted that despite Mr. Goldstein's claims, the family had been discovered “in an isolated cave,” raising questions about how they were living there.
Before their rescue, the police stated they spotted brightly colored clothes near the cave, which led them to discover Ms. Kutina and her daughters, whom they found with very few possessions and concerns regarding their living conditions.
The incident has ignited discussions around familial rights, immigration processes, and child welfare in cross-national contexts, especially regarding a mother’s autonomy versus the legal claims of a purported father.
Following the rescue, the police relayed a challenging stance from Ms. Kutina, who claimed her belief that nature was a safe and healthy environment for her children.
In a courtroom battle, statements were made referencing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and local child protection laws as relevant to the discussion of custody and living conditions.
With tensions still high and with Mr. Goldstein's possible legal actions pending, the case continues to develop, reflecting wider societal questions about what constitutes a safe and nurturing home for children.
