PARIS, 26 October (H.S.): French authorities confirmed on Friday the arrest of a suspect in connection with an alleged attempted rape on a Parisian train, an incident that gained national attention after footage of the assault circulated widely online.Transport police apprehended the man on Friday evening in Mantes-la-Jolie, northwest of Paris.

The suspect, who was not carrying identification at the time, reportedly told investigators he is a 26-year-old Egyptian national. He remains in custody pending further investigation.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, October 15th, aboard a train between the Choisy-le-Roi and Villeneuve-le-Roi stations. The victim, 26-year-old Brazilian national Jhordana Dias, stated that a man assaulted her shortly after boarding the train.

The attack was thwarted by another passenger who, alerted by Ms. Dias’s screams, began filming the event, causing the assailant to flee at the next station.The video has reignited a significant national discourse on the issue of women’s safety on public transport.

Following the widespread publicity, two other women have since come forward, telling French media that they had previously been assaulted by the same individual.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar