An Australian and a Singaporean were detained Thursday while trying to enter Orissa's famous Jagannath Temple, where foreign nationals are strictly prohibited on religious grounds, police said.
One is J. Raman, 52, an Australian national, while the other is Lee Shee Sing, a Singaporean citizen. They were allegedly trying to enter the temple in Puri at about 7 a.m.
"We have detained two foreign nationals while they were trying to enter the temple. While they were trying to enter, some servitors of the temple caught them and handed them over to police," said Benudhar Sahu, assistant sub-inspector of police.
Tension prevailed in the temple for some time following the incident, but rituals were not disrupted as the two had not gained entry into the sanctum sanctorum. The 12th century temple has a strict entry code and bars the entry of foreign nationals into its premises.