Russian cyclist loves India despite attack by villagers over a misunderstanding

In spite of being attacked by villagers over a misunderstanding, this 44-year-old Russian cyclist has love for India and her people.

Despite being bashed up by villagers in Kamareddy district a couple of weeks ago in a case of mistaken identity, Russian national and trans-continental cyclist Oleg Vershinin still has love for India in his heart.

When a thunderstorm forced him to pitch his tent during an emergency halt at Bhiknoor village while on his way to Shirdi in Maharashtra, two farmers reportedly attacked him due to some misunderstanding. He was hospitalized at Osmania General Hospital in Hyderabad with a broken jaw and fractured shoulder.

"I grew up loving Raj Kapoor's movies. Though I am saddened by the fact that I had to cut short my Nepal tour, this incident will not affect my love for India," Oleg told Helping Hand Foundation (HHF) volunteers at the hotel before he left for Delhi to catch a flight to Moscow.

In particular, he was all praise for police constable Ch Srinivas from Bhiknoor PS who gave him round the clock security, and for volunteers of HHF with whom he developed a close bond for taking care of his personal needs during his hospitalization.

The volunteers arranged a special diet for him comprising yogurt, banana, and other fruits. A lady volunteer also cooked and served chicken soup. Later, HHF provided accommodation at a hotel in Nampally for a night and a train ticket to New Delhi for his onward journey.

"We took extra care of Oleg as we wanted him to take back positive memories of Hyderabad after the unfortunate incident in Nizamabad. He is not just an international guest but also a national from a friendly country," said HHF President Mujtaba Hasan Askari.