Forensics Confirm Authenticity of IIT-M Student’s Suicide Notes
SMITHA TK
Three days after 19-year-old Fathima Latheef was found dead in her hostel room in IIT Madras, her father demanded a probe.(Photo: Accessed by The Quint)
Forensics Confirm Authenticity of IIT-M Student’s Suicide Notes
SMITHA TK1 DAY AGO
INDIA
“It has been more than 20 days and I still don’t have an answer for my daughter’s death. I will still fight till I find out.”
These are the words of Fathima’s father Abdul Latheef – who, tired but determined, reached Delhi on Wednesday, 4 December, with family friend and Kollam Mayor V Rajendrababu, will try to meet Prime Minister Modi on Thursday to share his grievance.
On 9 November, his 19-year-old daughter Fathima, a first-year student of MA in Development Studies at IIT-Madras, was found having hanged herself from the ceiling fan in her hostel room.
Just three days after her death, Fathima’s father alleged the cause of her death to be harassment at the hands of the department’s professors – sparking protests across the country, with students demanding the police take quick action.
Latheef said he will call for a press conference in Delhi on Thursday to give an update on the recent developments and also to propose his next plan of action.
Also Read : Amid Protests, Central Crime Branch Takes Over IIT-M Suicide Case
Suicide Notes Authenticated as Real
The Forensic Department confirmed the authenticity of the suicide note and other notes typed by Fathima on Tuesday. It was confirmed that Fathima had written the notes before she killed herself and that they were not edited by anybody else.
The case is currently being investigated by Central Crime Branch, headed by C Easwaramoorthy, Additional Commissioner of Police. Sources said that a few classmates have also been named in the notes on her phone.
“The light of our life has been extinguished. Our lives have been plunged into darkness. I am not going to let go of this easily. I will take this up to the Supreme Court.”
Forensics Confirm Authenticity of IIT-M Student’s Suicide Notes
SMITHA TK1 DAY AGO
INDIA
“It has been more than 20 days and I still don’t have an answer for my daughter’s death. I will still fight till I find out.”
These are the words of Fathima’s father Abdul Latheef – who, tired but determined, reached Delhi on Wednesday, 4 December, with family friend and Kollam Mayor V Rajendrababu, will try to meet Prime Minister Modi on Thursday to share his grievance.
On 9 November, his 19-year-old daughter Fathima, a first-year student of MA in Development Studies at IIT-Madras, was found having hanged herself from the ceiling fan in her hostel room.
Just three days after her death, Fathima’s father alleged the cause of her death to be harassment at the hands of the department’s professors – sparking protests across the country, with students demanding the police take quick action.
Latheef said he will call for a press conference in Delhi on Thursday to give an update on the recent developments and also to propose his next plan of action.
Also Read : Amid Protests, Central Crime Branch Takes Over IIT-M Suicide Case
Suicide Notes Authenticated as Real
The Forensic Department confirmed the authenticity of the suicide note and other notes typed by Fathima on Tuesday. It was confirmed that Fathima had written the notes before she killed herself and that they were not edited by anybody else.
The case is currently being investigated by Central Crime Branch, headed by C Easwaramoorthy, Additional Commissioner of Police. Sources said that a few classmates have also been named in the notes on her phone.
“The light of our life has been extinguished. Our lives have been plunged into darkness. I am not going to let go of this easily. I will take this up to the Supreme Court.”
Abdul Latheef, Fathima’s Father
“My daughter is a star student, a rank-holder who went to Chennai to study. And I want to find out how this happened and every single person responsible should be punished,” he added.
Latheef said he will move the Madras High Court for swift action. He had earlier said that he will also demand an internal probe by the institute.
Also Read : Plea in HC Seeks Transfer of Fathima Latheef Suicide Case to CBI
Meanwhile, on 18 November, students of IIT Madras sat on a hunger strike demanding the management constitute an expert panel to survey the overall mental well-being of the students. They also demanded a Grievance Redressal Cell be set up for each department and an internal probe into the allegations made by Fathima’s family be conducted.
The management accepted the students first two demands and the strike was called off. However, when the students met the director three days later, he told them that since an investigation was already underway, the institute will not be able to form an internal probe committee. The students have now planned on forming a joint action committee to demand justice for their classmate.
Also Read : Fathima Latheef’s Father to Demand Internal Probe at IIT Madras
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