MYSTERY IN THE CAVE: Russian Woman Found Living With Two Daughters in Karnataka Cave — Locals and Police STUNNED

Karnataka, India — In a scene straight out of a survival thriller, a Russian woman and her two young daughters were discovered living inside a remote cave in the forests of Karnataka, shocking local residents, forest officials, and authorities alike.

The woman, identified as Svetlana Vasilieva, believed to be in her late 30s, had been living in complete isolation for nearly four months along with her two daughters, aged 9 and 6. They were found in a rocky cave near the dense jungles of Sirsi, surviving on fruits, water from a nearby stream, and what little dry food they had brought along months ago.

Local villagers stumbled upon them during a pilgrimage trail and immediately informed forest officials. What they found left them speechless: a frail, barefoot woman, speaking broken English, shielding her daughters from strangers, and refusing to come out of the cave at first.

“She looked exhausted and scared,” said forest guard Raghavendra Naik. “At first we thought it was a tribal family, but when we heard her speak and saw the children’s clothing, we knew something was very different.”

When coaxed out and given food and medical help, Svetlana finally opened up — and her story has left authorities scrambling for answers.

According to initial reports, Svetlana had arrived in India on a tourist visa in late 2023, traveling across the south with her daughters. However, after a reported falling out with her embassy and difficulties with accommodation, she claims to have made a “spiritual decision” to disconnect from society and seek refuge in nature.

But investigators aren’t buying the whole story just yet.

“We are verifying her documents, passport validity, and visa status,” said Deputy SP Vinay Patil. “Living in a cave with two minors in a foreign land raises serious questions. We are also checking if she may have been running from someone — or something.”

Svetlana was reportedly carrying a Russian passport, partially damaged by moisture, and a tattered backpack containing children’s books, dry biscuits, and hand-drawn sketches. The children, while visibly undernourished, appeared mentally alert and attached to their mother.

“They didn’t cry. They weren’t afraid. In fact, they clung to her as if this cave was their home,” said a woman volunteer who helped bring them out.

Initial medical checkups indicate no signs of physical harm, though all three are being treated for dehydration, malnutrition, and insect bites. Psychological evaluation is also underway, especially to assess the children’s mental well-being after living in isolation.

Locals in Sirsi say they’d heard rumors of a “foreign lady in the forest,” but dismissed them as myth. “We never imagined it was real,” said one man. “It’s like something out of a movie.”

The Russian Embassy in New Delhi has been informed, though there has been no official statement yet. Officials believe she may have avoided contact out of fear of deportation or legal action, especially given the involvement of minors.

The incident has raised pressing questions about mental health, parenting, international law, and human survival. Could Svetlana’s actions be an act of desperation, a spiritual journey gone too far, or something darker?

For now, the mother and daughters are under government care, with both the Women and Child Development Department and Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) actively involved.

Meanwhile, social media is exploding with reactions. Some are praising the woman’s resilience and survival instincts, while others are demanding a deeper probe into her past and the safety of the children.

As investigators dig deeper into this mysterious case, one thing is clear: Svetlana’s cave escape has unearthed more than just a survival tale — it has triggered an international puzzle with legal, emotional, and possibly even diplomatic consequences.

And in the heart of Karnataka’s jungles, a quiet cave has now become the center of a storm.