A police bus brake failure nearly caused a serious accident during Bharat Bandh demonstrations at Siriguda Square near Rayagada town.
Protesters narrowly avoided injury as the van rolled into the protest site.
The incident occurred while trade unions staged demonstrations on the busy road. The bus, stuck in traffic, suddenly lost control and moved toward the crowd. Chairs arranged for union leaders were crushed, but no one sustained injuries.
Protesters expressed anger after the accident. Labour leader Bhabani Shankar Jena alleged that the brake failure was part of a conspiracy by the BJP government to disrupt the strike. His statement intensified emotions among demonstrators.
The accident damaged several chairs and created chaos at the protest site. Tension rose as workers shouted slogans and demanded accountability. The bandh already disrupted traffic across Odisha, and the incident added to the unrest.
Senior police officials, including Rayagada SDPO Gourahari Sahu and IIC Prasanna Behera, rushed to the spot. They held discussions with protesters to calm the situation and prevent escalation. Their intervention helped restore order after hours of agitation.
