Agartala: Workers busy in erecting a pandal for ensuing Durga Puja at Udaipur in Gomati district of Tripura recovered an ancient stone idol of a Hindu goddess on Monday.

Officials said the 2.5-feet idol had been kept under police protection and a team of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has been informed for inspection. The site is 50km from Agartala.

Speaking to this correspondent, the district magistrate of Gomati, Tarun Kanti Debnath, said a group of workers had excavated it in the southeast bank of the Jagannath Dighi on Monday evening. The idol was buried around 5ft beneath the ground.

"The stone idol was found intact. It seems to be an idol of goddess Sheetala. It is around 2.5ft high and 1.5ft wide. According to rules, we have informed the Archaeological Survey of India. A team of ASI experts will visit the spot soon," Debnath said.

The Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) with some local residents have started worshipping it near Rabindra Sangha, a club in Udaipur, since last night.

"This is India. People have started worshipping the idol and the ambience resembled that of a fair. I respect their faith, but they cannot be allowed to keep the idol. The ASI experts will examine it and give report on its antique value," the district magistrate said.

Tourism minister and local MLA Pranajit Singha Roy had seen the idol on Monday night.

"We have called in ASI experts. There is no guarantee that the idol can be retained. A decision will be taken depending on their report," he told devotees.

A duty officer from Radhakishorepur police station said people were scared of antique-idol smugglers.

"We have deployed police in the area," he said.

The ASI supervises several archaeological sites in Tripura, including the Unakoti rock carvings in Unakoti district and the Buddhist ruins at Pilak in South Tripura district.