About 1,000 passengers of the Kollam-Madurai passenger train had a miraculous escape when an alert driver stopped the train on seeing a 15 ft long iron rail, placed on the track at Pallivilai near here.

Railway police sources said the passenger train was proceeding to Madurai when the driver noticed some unusual object placed on the track around 2300 hrs and acted in time by stopping the train, thus averting a major mishap.

Railway police registered a case and launched an investigation to ascertain whether it was an act of sabotage to derail the train.

The train later left for Madurai after a delay of more than an hour after Railway staff removed the iron rail from the track.

Other express trains in the sector also suffered delays last night.