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, but he has the option to appeal against it.
In the order, the court stated that despite Mr Goldstein's claims, the mother and children had rather inexplicably been found in an isolated cave. The police team that found the three noted they were on a routine patrol near Ramteertha hills when they spotted brightly colored clothes hung near a cave. When they investigated, they found Ms Kutina and her children, who had minimal belongings.
Ms Kutina had defended her choice to live in the cave during interviews, expressing satisfaction with her lifestyle, stating, nature gives good health. However, the authorities expressed concerns about their safety, given the presence of wild animals in the area.
The court documents revealed that the Russian embassy offered Ms Kutina and her children an emergency travel window. Following the court's directive, they were facilitated to leave for Russia, thus concluding a chapter filled with uncertainty and concern.
