Dutch cyclist’s bicycle stolen in Hyderabad Pakistan

Dutch cyclist's bicycle stolen in Hyderabad Pakistan

A file photograph of Koen Roovers.

Karachi: Koen Roovers, a professional Dutch cyclist, will never forget his stay in Pakistan.

Roovers, who was on a tour of nine countries and is stopping over at Hyderabad, found that his 'precious' cycle was stolen from Civil hospital on Friday.

He began his journey on July 25 from Belgium and cycled all the way from Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran. His bicycle stayed safe in all the countries.

He cycled into Pakistan on March 15, by entering through Quetta and whizzed through to reach Hyderabad. During his stay, he started teaching disabled children at a school in Defence.

On Friday, the international cyclist and now the generous social worker, took one of his paralysed students, Shazia, on his bicycle to Civil hospital for physiotherapy. But when he came out of the hospital after Shazia's treatment, his precious bike which had taken him halfway across the world and made him a winner of several races, was gone.

Roovers told Express News that he had filed an FIR against the theft, however, if he does not find it soon, he would not be able to go to China after three months to complete his tour.

Dutch tourist loses bicycle in Hyderabad

By Our Staff Correspondent
Saturday, 24 Apr, 2010

HYDERABAD, April 23: A foreign tourist and cyclist, Koen Roovers, here on Friday lost his bicycle, which he was using for travelling from Netherlands to China.

A case had been lodged with Market police as the bicycle was stolen from outside the outpatient department of the Civil Hospital.

"I am shocked. The cycle is too expensive. Its worth Rs200,000 in Pakistan currency. I started my journey on July 21, 2009 from Holland and had travelled eight countries on the bicycle. Pakistan is the ninth country where I reached on April 1", Roovers, 29, told Dawn.

He said that he would see whether the bicycle is recovered otherwise he would have to purchase a new one. "I will first go to the north of the country before moving towards the final destination", he said.

He is staying at a friend's residence in Civil Lines. The tourist had gone to OPD along with a girl, who needed physiotherapy. "I had been visiting hospital for a couple of days for her physiotherapy", he said.

He was staying in Hyderabad as he got three months visa of Pakistan. He was to leave for Islamabad from where he would go to Gilgit. "I was to enter China through Karakoram Highway", he said.

He was quite upset over the incident which may jeopardise continuation of his journey.

SHO Wahid Bux said that perhaps a drug addict has stolen it. "God willing we will recover it", he said.