Two men from Telangana were held for taking photographs of the sanctum sanctorum using a micro camera-fitted spectacle inside Arunachaleswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai town on Saturday.

The incident occured in the wake of the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the temple town to offer prayers at the temple in the evening.

The police said the identified persons were Mounish, 27, a software professional, and his friend Magesh. Both of them are residents of Hyderabad in Telangana.

The police said that they were waiting in queue to offer prayers at the temple when light flashed from the spectacle of Mounish. Other devotees who saw the flash alerted temple staff, who in turn, informed senior officials of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department.

The police said signages were installed to warn devotees against taking photographs and videos inside the temple. Based on a complaint by temple staff, the Tiruvannamalai Town police have detained the duo. A probe is under way.

Published - August 09, 2026 12:06 am IST