IIT Madras student Fathima Latheef death: Probe handed over to Central Crime Branch

According to officers, the police have so far questioned 11 persons in the case, including three professors and students of the IIT.

Abdul Latheef, Fathima’s father, claimed there was a mystery behind his daughter’s death. “Her note names a professor and says that he [name withheld] is the cause of my death,” Latif told The Indian Express. The note was purportedly in her cellphone.

Latheef also said he had asked the police to check CCTV cameras, as they had been informed their daughter would cry at the mess hall around 9 every night.

“Investigation is still in progress, we have examined several people,” the City Commissioner said. (Express Photo)

The City Commissioner on Thursday visited the IIT campus for an inquiry and spoke to mediapersons. “Since this is a sensitive case, we thought it would be better if senior police officers probe it. We have shifted this case to Central Crime Branch. A special committee has been constituted, it will be headed by C Eswaramoorthy, Additional Commissioner, CCB, and former Assistant Commissioner, CBI, Prabhakaran.  Megalina, the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Crime against Women and Children, will be acting as the Chief Investigating Officer. We have made inquiries with several people, the truth will be uncovered soon,” he said.

Earlier today, members of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) protested outside the IIT campus, demanding a fair probe into the Fathima Latheef’s death.

Raising slogans to arrest those responsible, the South District Secretary of SFI, D Chandru, alleged this was “institutional murder”. “This is not the first time a student has committed suicide inside the IIT campus, there have been several instances in the past. Yet, no steps have been taken by the management. The police are trying to cover this as just another suicide. In her suicide note, Fathima mentioned those who subjected her to mental torture because of her religious background. Minority students are the most affected in all educational institutions, SFI condemns this and appeals to the Human Rights Commission and the state government to immediately look into this issue and punish the persons responsible for this act,” he said.

Students’ Federation of India (SFI) protested outside the IIT campus, demanding a fair probe into the case. (Express Photo)

Tamil Nadu Youth Congress members joined the protest. They demanded immediate police action against those responsible for Fathima’s death and raised slogans to “stop discrimination against minorities”.

On Wednesday, close to 20 members belonging to the Campus Front of India (CFI) had staged a protest outside the IIT campus, demanding justice.

Political parties in the state held the institute responsible for the student’s death. DMK leader MK Stalin on Thursday demanded a fair, transparent and independent probe into the matter. Taking to Twitter, he wrote “The death of student Fathima Latheef is devastating. The rulers of this state should make sure they order a fair, transparent and independent probe into the death of Fathima and it should be time-bound.”

Stalin further added that “saffronisation of educational institutions” should be avoided. “Controversies are nothing new to IIT. Though it is located in the capital city of Tamil Nadu, it is functioning as if it is placed in some mystery island. Higher education centres like IIT should document that they treat everyone equally, like the Tricolor in our national flag,” he said.

Other parties like Manithaneya Makkal Katchi and Communist Party of India (Marxist) voiced their protest. K Balakrishnan, state general secretary of the CPI(M), accused IIT of religious bias. He alleged that in the past year, more than five students had committed suicide due to “religious discrimination”.