One Week Has Passed Since The Suicide Of IIT Madras Student Fatima Latheef And Nobody Has Been Held Accountable Yet

Fatima Latheef was found dead, hanging from ceiling inside her hostel room in the Indian Institute of Technology Madras campus on November 9. After a week later her tragic death her family in Kerala are running from pillar to post seeking answers and hold those responsible accountable.

But nothing has been done so far. The family has alleged that both the IIT administration and the Tamil Nadu police are trying to protect those who pushed their daughter to suicide.

BCCL

The family has alleged that despite them providing ample evidence where Fathima blamed three faculty members of IIT Madras, none of them have been arrested by the police so far.

They said that the police have not examined the laptop and mobile phone of Fatima for evidence so far.

On Friday, Chennai city police commissioner A K Viswanathan transferred the case from the Kotturpuram police to the Central Crime Branch.

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City Police Commissioner AK Viswanathan visited the IIT campus and questioned the faculty, staff, and students on Saturday, but no further steps have been taken.

The IIT Meanwhile continued to defend its faculty members.

"The students, faculty, staff, and residents of IIT-Madras are deeply saddened and extremely perturbed by the unfortunate and untimely demise of our student, Fathima Latheef, and the events that unfolded thereafter," the institute said in a statement.

The statement said police were informed immediately after Fathima¡¯s suicide came to the knowledge of IIT-M authorities. It said the institute had extended full cooperation to the probe. ¡°IIT-Madras is committed to do whatever is required as per law and ensure a fair play," it said.

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"Social media trolling of the institute and faculty members and trial by media, even before the conclusion of police investigation, are gravely demoralising students and faculty members and other staff, " IIT-Madras said. All these were tarnishing the reputation institute, it said.

"We continue to mourn the loss of such a promising young student and continue to take all efforts to ensure the physical and mental well-being of our students, faculty, and staff. We reiterate that we are fully cooperating with the police investigation," the institute in its statement.

"Our faculty is known for high quality, integrity, and fairness," the statement said.

Statement from IIT Madras pic.twitter.com/Ex6WAuuqsB

¡ª IIT Madras (@iitmadras) November 15, 2019

However, a family member has alleged that the IIT authorities are resorting to publicly shame them.

In a letter to the police, the IIT allegedly told that, since the family is rich they are making it into a controversy to defame the institute, Shameer, a relative told a local news channel.

The 19-year-old first-year MA programme in Development Studies at IIT Madras was found hanging from a ceiling fan in her room on the morning of November 9.

Her family had alleged that she had faced discrimination from the faculty due to her faith. The police had initially claimed that Fathima ended her life due to depression and she was homesick.