Reports of four Home Guards, including a woman, being made to kneel down before the District Home Guard Office here by a Reserve Inspector have left the higher authorities red-faced.
The incident occurred on June 25 when all four Home Guards, who were on a special duty for Rath Yatra, were ordered to kneel before their office for about two minutes by Reserve Inspector Ashok Kumar Sethi for not wearing their uniforms properly.
The incident came to limelight after a video went viral on social media sites.
However, Sethi defended his action as justified, saying the decision to punish the Home Guards was a disciplinary action for not following dress code during duty hours.
“Since the Government provides uniforms, it is expected of the police personnel to follow official dress code. Senior officials reprimand us for the improper wearing of uniforms. Hence, I ordered them to kneel for only two to three minutes. We have also been punished by our senior officers (for such offence),” Sethi said to mediapersons.
Home Guard DG Binay Behera has sought a report from Mayurbhanj SP-cum-Home Guard Commandant on the incident. “We will take action as per the report,” said Behera.
Meanwhile, the State Home Guards’ Association has criticised the kneel-down incident and said action should be taken against the guilty official, otherwise their association would embark on an agitation.