Paris - The top-ranking French Army officer, General Bruno Cuche, resigned on Tuesday as a consequence of an accident during a military show which injured 17 people, the online edition of the daily Le Figaro reported.

Both President Nicolas Sarkozy and Defence Minister Herve Morin had demanded "immediate sanctions" after a French paratrooper had used live ammunition instead of blanks during a public demonstration on Sunday at the southern Laperrine military barracks.

Cuche, the French Army's chief of staff, tendered his resignation to Sarkozy, who accepted it.

On Monday, a spokesman for the French Army had said the incident had almost certainly been an accident. But Sarkozy had said the incident had been caused by "unacceptable negligence" and called for swift punishment.

The paratrooper who fired the bullets was taken into custody and could be charged with involuntary manslaughter later Tuesday, France Info radio reported. (dpa)