Bharat Bandh: Police bus develops brake failure at protest site in Rayagada, major mishap averted

A major accident was narrowly averted after the brakes of a police bus reportedly failed during the Bharat bandh at Siriguda Square in Rayagada town in Odisha on Thursday. The incident occurred amid heavy congestion as several vehicles had been halted at the protest site.

Hundreds of protesters were present at the square, and police personnel had also been deployed there as a precautionary measure during the shutdown.

Incident At Protest Site

According to reports, the stationary police bus suddenly began to roll on the road after its brakes failed. As the vehicle was moving at a slow speed, protesters and others present at the spot managed to move away in time.

The driver reportedly shouted that the brakes had failed and warned those nearby to clear the way. The bus ran over a few chairs placed at the protest site. However, the driver deliberately steered the vehicle off the road and brought it to a halt using a mud dune by the roadside, thereby preventing a serious mishap.

Police Personnel On Board

At the time of the incident, 38 police personnel were inside the bus. They were reportedly en route to provide security at an event in Nabarangpur which is scheduled to be attended by Chief Minister Mohan Majhi.

No reaction could be obtained from the SDPO at the time of reporting.

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It is suspected that the vehicle was old and that the incident may have occurred due to issues related to brake oil. Sources indicated that had the malfunction occurred while the bus was crossing a ghat road, it could have resulted in severe injuries to the personnel on board.