Jaipur: A 50-year-old vegetable vendor was run over and killed Thursday afternoon after an allegedly speeding taxi lost control and ploughed into his roadside stall in Bajaj Nagar, damaging four vehicles and triggering outrage over reckless driving.The accident occurred around 4 pm when the taxi, travelling from Gopalpura towards Durgapura Railway Station, veered off course near Mahavir Nagar and rammed into the vendor’s loading vehicle before crushing him, police said.Police identified the deceased as Mahesh Saini, a resident of Muhwa Mandawar who lived on rent in Bajaj Nagar. He routinely sold vegetables from a loading vehicle parked along the roadside.Police said the taxi was being driven at an estimated speed of 90 kmph when it went out of control. The impact was so forceful that, apart from the loading vehicle, 3 motorcycles parked nearby were also badly damaged. Saini was flung several metres away and landed on the road.Officers from Bajaj Nagar police station reached the spot within minutes and rushed the injured vendor to Jaipuria Hospital in a police jeep. Doctors declared him dead during treatment. His body was kept in the mortuary for post-mortem.The taxi driver escaped unhurt and was taken into custody. Police said 2 elderly passengers travelling in the cab sustained minor injuries.The passengers, who told police they were from Madhya Pradesh, said they booked the taxi from Vaishali Nagar to catch a train from Durgapura Railway Station on Thursday evening. They claimed they repeatedly asked the driver to slow down during the journey, but he ignored their warnings.Police seized the vehicle and initiated further investigation into the incident.
