Bhubaneswar, June 28: Director-general of home guard Binoy Kumar Behera today sought a report on the incident in which four home guards were made to kneel down in front of the district home guard office at Baripada on Sunday.

"I have sought a report from the Mayurbhanj police superintendent and the commandant of home guard on the incident. Appropriate action will be taken on receipt of the report," said Behera.

The incident triggered a furore after the photographs showing the home guards kneeling down had gone viral on the social networking sites today.

Sources said four home guards, including a woman, were made to kneel down in front of the office by reserve inspector Ashok Kumar Sethi on June 25 for flouting dress code and not wearing the proper uniform while on duty. These home guards, who had been on rath yatra duty, were allegedly found without proper uniform during inspection.

Sethi showed no signs of remorse and defended his order.

"The punishment was justified since the home guards were not in proper dress. They were asked to kneel down for just two minutes as a token punishment," he said.#The All Odisha Home Guards' Federation has condemned the action and demanded suspension of the reserve inspector. Federation president Upendra Behera said: "Asking to kneel down when in uniform is disrespect to the uniform itself. The reserve inspector should be suspended immediately. We will intensify our agitation if he is not suspended."