American Miss Universe booked for ’disrespectful’ high heels photo shoot in the grounds

mangaloretoday.com

Agra, Oct 9:  Miss Universe Olivia Culpo has found herself at the center of a storm of controversy during a trip to India after she allegedly violated strict product placement rules at the Taj Mahal on Sunday.

The notoriously inflexible Archaeological Survery of India (ASI) has lodged a police complaint against the 21-year-old 2012 Miss Universe and the agency behind her visit.

It comes after she appeared to model a pair of high-heeled shoes while photographers shot her with the iconic monument to love in the background.

The incident took place at the marble bench popularly known as the Diana Seat, named after the now famous picture taken of a forlorn looking Princess Diana on a trip to the Taj in 1992 - which was seen to highlight the sad state of her marriage to Prince Charles.

 

Culpo, who is seeing Nick Jonas of the Jonas brothers, was in India for 10 days to promote charitable issues such as women empowerment and AIDS awareness across the country.

According to the Supreme Court of India, any branding or publicity in or around the Taj Mahal is prohibited under law and the ASI’s complaint alleges Culpo and her handlers fell foul of this.

’Sandals (high heels) of a particular brand were taken out of the bag by someone in the group,’ says the ASI according to the Hindustan Times of India.

’Culpo donned one of the sandals and held another in her hand, reportedly to advertise them while cameramen accompanying her shot the scene with the Taj in the background.’

 

Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo is shown changing her shoes at the Diana Seat on Central Tank outside the Taj Mahal

 

Radiant and Peaceful: Miss Universe, Olivia Culpo of the USA, during her recent visit to India

 

During her one-hour vist to the world heritage site on Sunday, Culpo and her entourage seemed to show as much interest as any of the millions of tourists who visit the 360-year-old white marble mausoleum located in Agra, in the central state of Uttar Pradesh.

Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal and completed in 1653, the Taj Mahal visit was going well until Culpo reached the marble plinth at the top of the Central Pond that leads to the entrance.

It is alleged that her team produced shoes which she started trying on as photographers snapped away and there was no objection from police on duty.