IIT-M case: Fathima’s father hands over tab and laptop to special team

As summoned by the special team probing her death, Abdul Lathief and his other daughter Aysha reached the city in the morning and headed to the forensic lab located in the campus of DGP Headquarters.

Fathima’s phone from which her suicide notes were retrieved was unlocked in front of them at the forensic lab as per the City Metropolitan Court’s direction, as the family moved the court requesting the same.

After the investigation procedure, they visited the city police commissionerate in the afternoon to meet Additional Commissioner (CCB) C Easwaramoorthy, who is heading the team investigating the case.

The meeting lasted for about two hours during which officials reportedly assured him that the probe would bring out the truth about her death. Abdul Lathief handed over Fathima’s tab and laptop to the official to aid the investigation.

Earlier, speaking to the media, Abdul Lathief said that they were mulling to move the Madras High Court to order an inquiry with staff and faculty of IIT-Madras by an independent agency to probe the events preceding Fathima’s suicide.

On November 9, Fathima Lathief, a first-year student of an integrated MA course in IIT-Madras, was found hanging in her hostel room in the campus. 

Two days later, her family released the suicide notes reportedly retrieved from her phone, in which she had mentioned names of professors and alleged that she was harassed by the faculty due to which she resorted to the extreme step. The special team has already held inquiries with the professors whom Fathima named in the note.

Abdul Lathief, who has already met the Chief Minister and DGP, said that he would meet the Prime Minister next week seeking justice for his daughter.