Mistaken for thief, Russian cyclist thrashed in Telangana

A Russian cyclist on a world tour was injured in an attack by a Telangana farmer and his neighbours, who mistook him for a thief, police said.

The incident occurred in Telangana's Kamareddy district on Friday night when 44-year old V. Oleg had pitched his tent due to bad weather.

The Russian national, who suffered injuries on his head, jaw and right arm, has been shifted to Hyderabad and is undergoing treatment in state-run Osmania General Hospital. He may have to remain in hospital for couple of days.

Oleg, a resident of Moscow, told police that he was on his way from Nizamabad to Shirdi in Maharashtra when thunderstorm forced him to stop at Bhiknoor. The cyclist stopped by the side of an agriculture field and pitched his tent.

After rain stopped late in the night, farmer Mahender Reddy came to the field to find out if there was any damage to his cropm, found a tent on his field with a man lying inside and mistook him for thief.

Oleg could not understand what the farmer was asking him in Telugu. Even before the Russian could take help of the Google translator, the farmer attacked him with his torch light. Oleg resisted the attack. Some neighbours of the farmer also joined him in thrashing the foreigner.

--IANS

ms/vd