Protesters narrowly escape danger when police bus malfunctions during demonstration.

In Rayagada town, a group of protesters took to the streets on Thursday as part of the nationwide strike. As they blocked National Highway 326, a tense situation unfolded when a police bus experienced brake failure and headed straight towards the demonstrators. Luckily, no one was hurt in the incident, according to officials. The incident took place at Siriguda Chhak, a busy stretch of NH-326 that runs through the town. The protesters, who were members of a workers' organisation, had been protesting since 6am. At around 9am, a bus carrying over 30 police personnel was on its way from Rayagada to Nabarangpur when its brakes suddenly stopped working near the protest site. The bus gained speed and headed towards the group of protesters. Upon hearing the driver's warning, the demonstrators and journalists quickly moved to safety. Fortunately, everyone, including more than 100 protesters, media personnel, and 38 police officers, escaped without any injuries, sources say. According to records from the transport department's website, the bus is more than 14 years old. Although it had a valid fitness certificate, it was found to have no insurance or pollution clearance documents. When contacted, Rayagada Sub-Divisional Police Officer Gourahari Sahu stated that all necessary documents for the bus were in order and that it was properly authorized. However, this incident has sparked public criticism as citizens are frequently fined for not having valid insurance, pollution, or fitness certificates for their vehicles. Locals fear that if the bus had caused any casualties, the lack of valid insurance could have made it difficult for victims to receive compensation. This incident, reported by Orissa POST, Odisha's No. 1 English daily, has raised concerns about the safety of public transport and the need for stricter regulations. It serves as a reminder for authorities to ensure that all vehicles on the road are in proper condition and have the necessary documents to avoid such incidents in the future.