Johannesburg, Feb 14: South Africa's Paralympic gold medallist Oscar Pistorius was arrested early Thursday for allegedly shooting dead his girlfriend after mistaking her for an intruder, media reports said.

According to the Beeld newspaper, the athlete known as the "Blade Runner" was arrested early today following the shooting at his home in an upscale area near the South African capital. Police spokesman Katlego Mogale said a "26-year-old man had been taken into custody for shooting a 30-year-old woman".

Mogale could not confirm if the suspect was Pistorius, saying his identity would be revealed only once he appears in court later on Thursday. "The deceased was shot four times and died on the scene. It is believed that she was the girlfriend of the accused," said Mogale.

The shooting took place in a house inside an upmarket security compound in Silverlakes, outside Pretoria, he said. Pistorius lives in the compound. The "Blade Runner" made history in 2012 when he became the first amputee to compete in the Olympics.

He won gold in the 4x400m relay at the Paralympic Games. He had both legs amputated below the knee before the age of one, because of a congenital condition, and runs on carbon fibre blades. Last year Time Magazine named him as one of the world's 100 most influential people.

AFP