Hostage taking drama near Paris: As it happened

Reports quote police as saying that the Paris post office gunman has been arrested and hostages have been freed.

Paris: A week after the terror attack here, it is being reported that another hostage situation has surfaced at a post office west of Paris. The initial reports coming in state that at least three people have been taken hostage, however, conflicting reports say it is yet to be ascertained if the situation is of a terrorist nature.

According to news reports, police said the man holding people hostage might be mentally unstable. An attack on Charlie Hebdo office in Paris by two gunmen last week left 12 people dead.

Here are the Live updates of the hostage situation -

• The man was known to the police for previous criminal offences.
• Gunman, in police custody, is said to be "unstable" and has "incoherent speech".
• Hostages are shocked but not injured, say police.
• Reports quote police as saying that the Paris post office gunman was arrested after surrendering, hostages have been freed. 
• The latest reports now say that the gunman is currently detaining two hostages. Earlier, it was reported that three people were taken as hostages.
• Police are communicating with the man, and trying to talk him into giving up the hostages.
• There are also reports that the hostage-taker is known to the police, and had himself called them.
• Police sources said several post office clients had managed to escape and that the gunman himself had called them.
• The police is monitoring the situation closely, with a helicopter flying overhead and elite security forces on the ground.
• The gunman is reportedly armed with grenades as well.
• It is not yet known whether the gunman has made any contact with the police or any demands.
• Police has cordoned off the area in Colombes, suburb in west of Paris.
• TV reports, quoting police, say that there is no link between the current situation and last week's terror attacks in Paris. 
• It is being reported that the hostage-taker is armed with a Kalashnikov assault rifle.
• Reports state that a gunman has taken at least three people hostage inside the post office.
• There is an another hostage situation at a post office west of Paris.