Panaji, Aug 13 - A Goa cabinet minister allegedly beat up security guards and made them kneel down for ten minutes as a punishment Wednesday for not letting his nephew near a water reservoir classified as a vital installation, officials disclosed Thursday.

In a written complaint to the chief engineer of the water resources department filed Thursday, guards Alwyn Fernandes, Anil Nayar and Pralhad Gaonkar said the former chief minister and present Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Churchill Alemao beat them up mercilessly on Wednesday for maintaining increased vigil at the water reservoir.

The reservoir has been classified as a vital installation from the point of view of tight security for Independence Day (Aug 15).

'I have asked for a detailed report from the local executive engineer about the incident. We will take action on the basis of the factual report that he submits,' water resources department chief engineer S.T. Nadkarni told reporters Thursday.

The written complaint stated that on Wednesday, Alemao's nephew (whose name has not been mentioned in it) had tried to enter the reservoir area without making proper entries as called for by procedure.