Watch: Girls arrested for dancing on Cairo Metro

Cairo: Two Egyptian girls were arrested after they had appeared in a video dancing inside a Cairo Metro train apparently to generate high online traffic, police said.

The footage circulating on social media showed the two young girls, clad in black abayas (flowing garments), performing a dance to the tune of popular mahrjanat electro-folk music.

The video triggered controversy on social media, with many commentators criticizing the act as inappropriate behaviour on public transportation and a violation of Egyptian traditions.

The Egyptian Ministry of Interior said the video was examined, the two girls' identified, and later arrested.

"When confronted, they admitted to filming the clip due to a light passenger traffic on the Metro at the time to save it on their personal (online) pages for fun," the ministry added in a statement. Legal action has been taken against them.

Both girls may face charges of public indecency, punishable under Egyptian law by imprisonment for up to one year or a maximum fine of 300 Egyptian pounds (about Dh21.5), according to legal experts.