Three Portuguese nationals were detained by Karnataka's Bandipur Tiger Reserve officials for trespassing into the forest range without permission amid lockdown on Sunday evening.
"They have not been arrested but have been detained for interrogation. They said they wrongly entered the park," T Balachandra, Conservator of Forests and Field Director, Project Tiger, Bandipur, said.
The three men entered the park on three bikes, wearing shorts and sunglasses.
The trio were in Bengaluru for the maintenance and repair of an aircraft control system belonging to a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The three Portuguese nationals are Nuno Ricardo Bernardes Miranda Paciencia, Angelo Miguel Garrido and Tomas Pinho Marquez.
"We have written to the DRDO asking for clarification over their claims. They will be kept in detention till we receive word from them about their role in Bengaluru," Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Ravi Kumar said.
