Two cross-dressed foreign men were removed by the police from the surroundings of the Kandy Lake yesterday while they were being filmed performing a homosexual act.

Amidst public protest, the Kandy Police removed the foreigners garbed in Nilame and Osari outfits playing the role of a couple.

Basnayake Nilame of Alawathugoda Saman Devale who visited the site said none should be allowed to use the Nilame attire as it was a symbol of the Sinhala identity and culture. With severe public protest, the tourist police had deleted the photographs captured.

Although local representative Iranthi Abeysinghe, who came along with the foreigners, produced a letter of permission obtained from the National Film Corporation (NFC) and the Defence Ministry, the police took steps to remove them.(Chamil Rupasinghe)