Jammu, Feb. 14 -- After a 21-day quarantine in three government facilities, 364 residents of Rajouri's Badhaal village were discharged on Thursday and returned home, officials said.

Rajouri district commissioner Abhishek Sharma said the move came after All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), New Delhi, issued guidelines after keeping the villagers under observation.

The villagers were quarantined in the aftermath of 16 deaths, including 13 children, between December 7 last year and January 19 this year from a 'mysterious' illness. The deceased hailed from three families related to each other. The authorities, from Jammu and Kashmir as well as the Centre, were left baffled and grappled to ascertain the cause behind the deaths.

H...