Three of the detained Nepalese workers were seen inside a police patrol car leaving the scene.
ALOR SETAR: A group of 200 Nepali workers gathered in front of a timber mill in Jabi near here to protest against the death of their three co-workers.
They staged the protest in front of the mill at 8pm on Saturday until they were dispersed by the police two hours later.
It is learnt that they were concerned after three of their countrymen died due to suffocation at the mill's hostel last month.
Kota Setar Traffic and Public Order chief Deputy Supt Mat Akhir Jaafar said police have arrested three men to facilitate investigations.
He added that the death of the three workers at the hostel was classified as sudden death.