Taking a serious view of security personnel turning away Muslim holiday-makers from the Sardar Sarovar dam site in Narmada , the Gujarat Home Department has decided to inquire into the episode.

“We have taken a serious note of the incident as reported in your newspaper today. In the first place, that should not have happened at all. I will inquire into it,” Gujarat Minister of State for Home Amit Shah told The Indian Express on Wednesday.

As reported by this paper, the personnel posted at the dam site as part of security measures in the wake of the July 26 serial blasts in Ahmedabad had turned away several Muslim tourists, including a visiting London-based NRI family, on Sunday.

Inspector B M Rajvanshi, who was patrolling the dam site, was reported to have even asked the name of one of the Muslim tourists, and then directed them to go away. The armed guards posted there had even questioned one of the NRI family members about his origins. When this Muslim NRI told the patrolling cops that he was from Kosamba area, the cops reportedly remarked: Abhi abhi toh wahan se bombs mile hain.

The incident had caused a great deal of embarrassment and shock to the Muslim holiday-makers at the dam site, popular picnic spot in Gujarat.

Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNNL)’s managing director A K Joti has described the incident as “most unfortunate, and in bad taste”. He said the Nigam’s tourism cell at the dam site issues entry passes to all tourists without any discrimination. “It’s really sad that the security guards posted there should behave with Muslim visitors in such a bizarre manner. The Nigam will draw the attention of the Home Department to this,” Joti added.