The Provincial Armed Constabulary personnel guarding the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid complex in Ayodhya went on a rampage on Wednesday evening.
The trouble started when a PAC constable died after falling from one of the watchtowers in the complex, officials said.
"Rajesh Kumar Tiwari was climbing the steel ladder to go atop the watchtower, when he slipped and fell. The officers on duty took him to hospital, where he was declared dead," Faizabad Divisional Commissioner R M Srivastava told rediff.com
Following his death, his colleagues went on a rampage, smashing shops, vehicles and beating up people, including some photojournalists, he said.
"The policemen even set afire the official car of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, K N D Dwivedi, who had gone there to pacify them," he added.
The din continued till personnel from a local unit of the Central Reserve Police Force and the Rapid Action Force took charge of the situation, Srivastava said.
"We are under full command of the situation."
Ayodhya has been sealed of from all sides, he added.
Unconfirmed reports said that the cops were angry due to the 'apathy of higher officials after they were apprised of the constable's death'.
There are about 900 PAC men guarding the area. Another 500 are on temporary duty because of the navratra fair.
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