Jodhpur: At least 38 French tourists were injured, five of them critical, when the bus they were travelling in overturned after being hit by another vehicle on Jodhpur-Jaisalmer bypass here on Monday, police said. "The French tourists group was on an India tour. It had visited various tourist destinations in Jodhpur after reaching here from Jaisalmer yesterday (Sunday). The group was leaving for Pushkar in a bus when the accident occurred in the morning on Monday," a police officer said.

Three others including the bus driver, cleaner and a guide from Delhi were also injured in the accident. Five French tourists have been reported critical and are under treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of Mathura Das Mathur Hospital in Jodhpur. The bus carrying the tourists had left from a resort in Marugarh t on the bypass to Pushkar, but soon after the bus touched the road, it collided with a speeding private bus near DPS Circle at around 7.00am on Monday. The bus overturned after the collision seriously injuring all passengers onboard, police said. Some local people who rushed to the spot after the incident rescued the tourists.

"Total 41 bus passengers were injured including 38 French tourists and five of them are critical with severe injuries," Dr Kamal Kant, principal Dr SN Medical College said. Dr Kant said that a five-member team of specialist doctors are treating the injured tourists. A special ward has been prepared for them in the eye ward of the hospital, where 31 injured have been admitted. "We have discharged 10 tourists after giving them preliminary treatment, while others have been kept under the observation," Dr Kant further said.

Meanwhile, senior officials including divisional commissioner Hemant Gera, police commissioner Biju Gorge Joseph and district collector Gaurav Goyal rushed to the hospital and took note of the treatment. They interacted with the injured with the help of interpreters and assured help. "We have informed the French Embassy in Delhi about the mishap," Gera said.