CHENNAI: Government Railway Police arrested a 42-year-old man who allegedly placed a wooden log on a railway track near Nemilichery. An alert loco pilot of a goods train engine who noticed the log from a distance stopped the train and alerted the police personnel.

Police said that the incident happened during the early hours of Wednesday. The engine was moving from Thirunundravur towards Nemilichery when the locopilot noticed the log on the track and brought the engine to a halt.

Railway police sources said that the log was about 20 kg and 3 feet long. After removing the log from the tracks, the locopilot filed a complaint with the Railway police in Avadi.

Based on investigations, police zeroed in on the suspect, V Babu of Thirunindravur. He was picked up when he was loitering near the railway tracks. Police investigations found that Babu threw the wooden log on the tracks in an inebriated state. He was booked under Section 150 (1) (a) of Railway act (puts any wood, stone or other matter or thing on railway track) and arrested. He was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.