Europe’s busiest railway station, the Gare du Nord, was partly evacuated on Friday after an inactive explosive shell was found in a passenger’s bag, according to sources.
The shell was found as part of a random check at the station, which serves as a stop for the Eurostar from London, the Thalys from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, four suburban train lines, and two busy Paris metros.
A source close to the investigation said the man, who was arrested, was a soldier.
Arrivals and departures were temporarily disrupted before being resumed.
SNCF said that passengers were forced to wait outside the station for about 40 minutes and added that other lines in the city were not affected due to the incident.
The incident comes in the backdrop of two stabbing attacks with the first one occurring in London, where two people were killed and three others were injured, while three civilians were wounded in The Hague in the Netherlands.
While the male suspect has been shot dead by the police in London, police are hunting for the accused in The Hague in connection with the stabbing.
(With inputs from agency)