Bhubaneswar: Rare photos of 12th century Jagannath temple have gone viral with the temple administration failing to check its recurrence.

This time, a former employee of the State Archaeological Survey has been held responsible for taking photos of the temple's prohibited areas and making them public. Though the photographs were taken in 2008, it surfaced only on Monday when a sevayat Rabi Narayan Mohapatra took up the issue with the temple administration. He had taken these photos while assisting the ASI on conservation of the 12th century shrine.

According to the allegation, Rabi Narayan Das, who worked in the State Museum in various capacities, has published a book "Jagannath in Historical Perspectives". In his book, Das has published several photographs of the temple. The book is a hit among the devotees of Lord Jagannath.

Mohapatra said: "When there is a prohibition even on servitors carrying mobile phones, it is wrong for anyone to do it."

The Shree Jagananth Sena, an organisation working for conservation Shree Jagannath culture, on Tuesday accused the ASI of not doing its duty properly.

"The ASI is responsible for all the mess. A criminal case should be lodged against the writer and he should be arrested," said Sena convenor Priyadarshan Patnaik, who has submitted a memorandum to the temple reforms commission.

Temple administrator (rituals) Pradeep Das said: "We will take up the issue with the ASI and ensure that such things don't occur in future."

Earlier, an employee of the Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research, Dhanbad, Sadanand Sharma, who had worked with the ASI and assisted in repair of the sanctum sanctorum, had posted photographs of the temple in Facebook. Later, he had apologised for the incident after the temple administration took up the issue with the ASI.