A knife attack early on Saturday in the Gare de Lyon rail station in Paris left three people wounded, police said, ruling out terrorism at this stage. 

The man, a Malian national, went on a stabbing spree at around 7:35 am (0635 GMT) at the station, which operates domestic trains as well as those heading to Switzerland and Italy.

One person suffered serious injuries to the abdomen while two others were lightly wounded, police said.

A terrorist attack has been ruled out at this stage and an enquiry launched.

Police arrested the suspected attacker, who showed signs of mental disorders, Paris police chief Laurent Nunes told reporters. "We found medicine on him which suggests he was undergoing treatment."

The attacker, who carried Italian residence permits and was in France legally, attacked travellers with a knife and hammer. French media said he was originally from Mali, but Nunes did not confirm the reports.

Passers-by overpowered the man before railway police arrived on the scene, the police source said.

"A thank you to those who overpowered the man who carried out this unbearable act," said Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin on X, formerly Twitter.

The assault took place less than six months before Paris hosts the 2024 Olympics and and an expected 15 million visitors.

Each year more than 100 million passengers go through the Gare de Lyon, France's biggest mainline rail hub.

The area between halls one and three were temporarily inaccessible, rail operator SNCF said on X, formerly Twitter.

Services to the Paris region were delayed, the SNCF said, referring only to "an act of criminal intent".