Statue of Hindu Goddess found in Tripura

A 2.5 feet high and 1.5 feet wide statue of a Hindu Goddess, made of stone, was discovered when some labourers were digging earth to construct a pandal at Udaipur in Tripura's Gomati district, officials said today.

The statue was discovered yesterday, near a water body called Jagannath Dighi, when some people were digging earth to construct a pandal for the upcoming Durga Puja festival, the District Magistrate (DM) of Gomati, Tarun Kanti Debnath, said.

"The statue was found five feet below the surface. It appears to be an ancient statue of a Hindu Goddess. The police is protecting the statue at present and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has been called to inspect it," the district magistrate said.

"People started worshipping the statue before I reached the spot. I respect their reverence but they can't be assured to retain the statue. The ASI experts will examine the statue and submit a report on its archaeological and antique value," the district magistrate told reporters.

Tourism minister and local MLA Pranajit Singha Roy visited the spot to see the statue yesterday night.