Agartala, April 11 : The district authority in Tripura's Gomati district on Thursday warned to take stringent action against anyone publishing or displaying improper photographs or videos of the idol of Mata Tripura Sundari or its temple founded in 1501 by Tripura's erstwhile king Maharaja Dhanya Manikya.

Gomati District Magistrate and Collector, Tarit Kanti Chakma, said in a notification that improper photos and videos of the idol of Mata Tripura Sundari or the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, including reels, that denigrate the goddess or the temple are strictly prohibited.

Any dereliction of the order would invite stringent action under the existing criminal law in force, the order said, adding that all concerned should refrain from violating the law.

The 523-year-old Tripura Sundari temple in Udaipur, 65 km south of Agartala, is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas in the country, and the third such shrine in eastern India after the Kali temple in Kolkata's Kalighat, and the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati.

On October 15, 1949, Tripura came under the control of the Indian government after a merger agreement was signed between Maharani Kanchan Prabha Devi and the Indian Governor General.

The merger agreement made it mandatory for the Tripura government to continue sponsoring 14 temples in the state, including the Tripura Sundari Temple run by the princely rulers.

/IANS