Chennai: The death of Kerala girl Fathima Latheef, a first year student of the five year integrated MA Humanities course at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Madras) has snowballed into a political controversy with her family alleging that she ended her life following religious harassment by her professors.
With different student groups protesting and the opposition led by DMK seeking a fair probe into the death of Fathima, whose body was found from her room earlier this week, Chennai Police Commissioner AK Viswanathan on Thursday ordered a probe by the Central Crime Branch.
Fathima's family alleged that she has left behind a typed note on her mobile phone in which she said, “In case of my death, the whole of blame will be unremittingly upon” her professors whom she named.
Alleging that she was harassed on religious grounds, the family sought the help of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeking a thorough probe.
On Thursday multiple students and political organisations staged demonstrations inside and outside the IIT Madras campus accusing the institution of discriminating students on religious grounds and demanded the arrest of a professor of Philosophy.
After visiting the campus, Police Commissioner Viswanathan said a team comprising senior police office Eswaramurthy, who has had a stint with the CBI, will now probe the case.
DMK president MK Stalin said it was a shame that Fathima's family felt that their trust that Tamil Nadu was a safe state lies shattered after her death. He along with MDMK leader Vaiko and other leaders demanded an independent investigation into her death.
