The post-mortem on the body of Satnam Singh Mann (25), who died on August 4 at the mental hospital, suggested that he had suffered injuries and that he could have been beaten either by inmates of the hospital or wardens, police sources said.
As the initial step of the Crime Branch probe, IG B Sandhya visited the mental hospital at Peroorkkada here and took statements from its doctors, wardens and other employees.
Meanwhile, the body of Mann was flown to his native district Gaya in Bihar today. His relatives who arrived here yesterday to claim the body after the post-mortem had alleged that the youth had died due to torture.
The state Government yesterday ordered an inquiry by the Crime Branch into the death of the youth.
Mann was arrested and remanded on August 1 after he created a scene at the ashram by trying to barge onto the podium of spiritual leader Mata Amritanandamayi.
He was shifted to the mental hospital here on Thursday as he was allegedly in a mentally disturbed state.