Violent altercations between demonstrators and police during a survey of the Shahi Jamia Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, India have resulted in the deaths of at least three Muslim teenagers.

Police shot the deceased, Bilal Ansar, Nadeem Ahmed, and Nadeem Ghazi, in an effort to scatter demonstrators who were against the survey.

The incident follows a court order issued on Tuesday to examine the mosque in response to a petition that claimed the mosque was built on top of temple remnants.

Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party, claimed that the BJP had planned the violence surrounding the mosque survey in order to deflect criticism of electoral fraud.