Three inmates at Kerala rehabilitation centre die in a week,

Three inmates at a nearby private rehabilitation center died in a week, sparking protests, following which the Kerala government has ordered an inquiry Health minister K K Shailaja sought a report from health officials in Kottayam district on Saturday after locals alleged foul play.

District Collector P K Sudheer Babu ordered a magisterial probe into the deaths at the Puthujeevan Trust Rehabilitation Centre inPayippad Panchayat following protests by local residents and politicians Additional district magistrate Anil Oommen will probe the case, he said.

Locals alleged that three inmates of the center run by the trust, headed by a retired policeman, had died in the past one week The local people also alleged that the inmates were tortured at the facility.

According to the centre, it has been offering services for the mentally challenged, destitute and abandoned elderly people for over three decades Local people demanded a thorough probe into the cause of the deaths.

According to officials, six other inmates have been admitted to various hospitals in Thiruvalla After an initial investigation, the district medical officer said the deaths were not due to an epidemic.

As per the Health minister's directive, a panel of doctors has been constituted to study the cause of the deaths of the three people, including a woman, he said.