Imphal, Dec. 14: The India Reserved Battalion (IRB), guarding the Kangla Fort, has initiated disciplinary proceedings against three jawans caught stealing corrugated tin sheets from the fort.

The historical fort was handed over to the Manipur government by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after it was vacated by the Assam Rifles last month.

Nearly 200 personnel of the 1st India Reserve Battalion were posted at this ancient seat of power of the Manipuris for its protection before the gates were thrown open to the public a couple of weeks ago. Morning joggers yesterday saw some of the jawans taking out some corrugated tin sheets from the fort.

The jawans later took the sheets to a nearby trunk manufacturer.

The matter was reported in a local daily, following which battalion commandant Chandrashekhar Singh conducted an inquiry today.

?We have identified three jawans involved in the matter and initiated disciplinary proceedings against them. We have also recovered the sheets. The jawans will face punishment. Explanations have been called from the jawans involved in the pilferage,? Singh told this correspondent.

Additional director-general of police Y. Joykumar Singh said action would be initiated against the jawans if their involvement was confirmed. ?We have asked the battalion to conduct an inquiry and submit a report. We are waiting for the report,? he said.

The incident has caused resentment among the people. ?The jawans should not be let off. Stealing property from the sacred place is a serious crime and they should be punished in a befitting manner. Our fear that the fort would be defiled once it returns to the state government turned out to be true. Such happenings should be prevented,? said Mukondo Singh, a retired Manipur Civil Service officer.

The incident comes at a time when the Okram Ibobi Singh government is preparing to introduce a bill in the Assembly?s winter session for protection of the fort as a historical and archaeological site. A Kangla Fort Management Board, headed by the chief minister, has already started functioning.

However, sources said several old and ?useless? corrugated tin sheets were left behind by the Assam Rifles when they vacated the fort last month and these were the sheets found ?stolen? by the jawans.