4 people including two foreign nationals were injured when the car they were travelling in overturned on Thursday in Jaisalmer. The incident took place when a group of tourists tried to escape on being chased by some touts. Senior police officers told that campaigns against the touts operating in the area would be launched and those involved in it would be brought to justice.
This incident has brought to light the tout menace in Jaisalmer, which is a popular tourist destination. Tourists visiting the area have long complained that touts start chasing them to get hired as guides. Upendra Singh Rathore, a tour operator and a person familiar with the matter said that around 6 people out of whom three were British nationals were going on a visit to Jaisalmer from Bikaner in a Pajero when the touts started to chase them.
Rathore said, "Some touts were standing on a road near Basanpeer village, 25kms from Jaisalmer, with their bikes parked nearby. As soon as they saw the car, they started chasing it. They intended to tell the tourists to hire them as guides."
He further pointed out that some touts on their bikes overtook the Pajero in which the tourists were travelling. In the entire process, the driver of the tourist’s vehicle lost control and the SUV overturned. This resulted in the injury of four persons including a 47-year- old man named Sian Lemiston from Britain along with another British national, a guide and the driver. They were immediately taken to a local hospital who till the reports last came in were undergoing treatments.
SP Mamta Vishnoi said that she came to know about the incident and has directed tourist protection force in-charge to take immediate action against those touts who tried to chase the tourists. She further added that owing to the increasing misbehaviour by touts, a campaign against them is being launched and patrolling by police personnel and tourist protection force would be increased so that tourists do not face any problem while visiting Jaisalmer.
