COIMBATORE: A boulder rolled down a rain-soaked hilly terrain and crashed onto a moving express train near Dharmapuri on Sunday.

The alertness of the loco pilot, who immediately stopped the train helped avert a major mishap. The SMVT Bengaluru Express (Train No. 17236), bound for Bengaluru from Nagercoil, was passing through the rain-hit stretch between Muthampatti and Sivadi railway stations when the incident occurred.

As the train crossed Muthampatti at around 4.50 a.m., a boulder suddenly rolled down the hillside and struck the train’s wheel assembly with a loud bang. The impact startled passengers who were asleep, several of whom woke up in panic.

Hearing the unusual noise, the loco pilot immediately brought the train to a halt. During an inspection, railway staff found that equipment near the wheel had been damaged. The damaged component was secured with a rope to a nearby support structure, allowing the train to proceed cautiously towards Dharmapuri railway station.

The district had received heavy rain through the night, triggering a landslip in the hilly stretch between the two stations. The train, which normally reaches Dharmapuri at around 5 a.m., arrived delayed at about 5.20 a.m. Railway technical staff rectified the damage, after which the train resumed its journey to Bengaluru at around 5.50 a.m.

Meanwhile, railway personnel deployed a poclain machine to remove the boulder from near the track. The railway police in Dharmapuri have begun an inquiry into the incident.