Three-year-old girl beheaded by stranger in 'random' attack outside Taipei subway station

The attacker was reportedly armed with a butcher's knife

The suspect was arrested following the attack and remanded in custody (Reuters)

A three-year-old girl has been decapitated in an apparently random attack outside a subway station in Taipei.

According to Taiwanese media, a man identified only by his surname Wang has been arrested following the attack and remanded in custody.

The girl was riding her bicycle a short distance in front of her mother when the man approached, and the mother was quoted by the TVBS broadcaster as saying she initially thought he was going to help her cycle up the hill.

When he pulled out a large knife and attacked the girl, however, she was unable to prevent the attack.

Local media said the man was tackled by passers-by and police were called shortly before noon on Monday.

TV footage showed an angry crowd gathered outside the police station where the 33-year-old suspect was being questioned.

The government-run Central News Agency said he had an arrest record for drug crimes and had been treated for mental illness.

His father, quoted by the Eastern Broadcasting company, said he lived at home and was unemployed.