An observant teenager helped avoid what could have been a big rail tragedy on Western Railway (WR) on Tuesday night. Kelwe Road resident Aakash Patekar, 19, spotted a fractured railway track at Palghar station and alerted authorities just before another train was to pass over it. The crack was fixed soon after.

Huge one
Patekar was on his way to the platform with his friend Jitesh Dagade when he saw the crack. "I usually board the 8:20 pm Churchgate local from Palghar. I was walking towards the platform, when I spotted a crack on the railway track. Since it was dark, I went close to confirm it and all my fears came true. With the help of my phone's flashlight, I saw the huge crack. I asked Jitesh to go to the station master's office and inform them about it."