'She left Goa without informing me': Husband of Russian woman found living in Karnataka cave

Speaking to NDTV, Israeli resident Dror Goldstein on Wednesday said he met Nina Kutina for the first time in Goa about eight years ago, and then fell in love with her.

"We spent seven months in India together, and then we spent more time in Ukraine," he said.

Goldstein said he has been visiting India for the last four years to meet his daughters, Prema (6 years) and Ama (5 years).

"A few months ago, she (Nina) left Goa without informing me, and I didn't know where they were," he said.

Goldstein said he filed a missing complaint and found Nina and their daughters living in Gokarna.

"I went to see my daughters, to see how they are. She wouldn't let me spend time with them, only a little bit; she made it really hard," he told NDTV.

Goldstein said he wants to see his daughters and have shared custody.

He also said he has been sending a "good amount" of money to Nina every month.

This comes after the 40-year-old Russian national and her two young daughters were rescued from a cave deep in the forest atop Ramatirtha Hill in Gokarna, where they had been living in isolation.

The discovery was made during a routine patrol by local police on July 9, according to an NDTV report.

Inspector Sridhar SR and his team from the Gokarna Police Station were surveying the hill area, known for its landslide risks and dangerous wildlife, when they noticed activity near a cave.

Inside, they found Nina Kutina and her daughters, Prema (6) and Ama (4), living in makeshift conditions, the report said.

Kutina told police she had left Goa and chosen to settle in the forest for spiritual reasons, seeking solitude for meditation and prayer.