Bhubaneswar, Feb. 12 -- 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.

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 ne...