IIT Madras suicide: Fathima Latheef's father says daughter faced harassment, feared institute's professor

Abdul Latheef, the father of Fathima Latheef, who allegedly committed suicide at IIT Madras campus, said on Friday that her daughter was subjected to harassment and she feared Sudarshan Padmanaban, a professor of the institute.

"Fathima was number one in everything and she was being subjected to some kind of harassment. My daughter feared Sudarshan Padmanaban (a professor). The Director-General of Police (DGP) had not seen the suicide note. They saw it only when we showed," he told reporters here.

The father asserted that the IIT management did not inform the family after her death and said he was assured by the DGP that the culprits would be brought to book.

"All the evidence we have has been submitted to the DGP. I trust the government of Tamil Nadu and police department. The IIT management did not call or contact us after her death," Abdul Latheef said, adding that her daughter was a student of high calibre.

"I want all the people to continue to report about her death until the truth behind this is brought out. The DGP has promised that the culprits will be brought before the law," he said.

The father further said, "When we checked her room it was left in a very untidy matter. There was no rope on the fan. I have clear doubts about her death. When my daughter Aysha went they said they will give CCTV footage but those were not given. The source of the rope is not given. Where is the rope now? The room has been tampered with and it is my luck that we got the mobile."

"My daughter (Fathima) cried for one hour in the campus mess and someone came and consoled her. We are not sure if she was killed or it was a suicide. I am a helpless man from Kerala and I want all your support," he remarked.

Fathima Latheef, a student of IIT Madras had allegedly taken her own life by hanging herself from a ceiling fan in her hostel room last week. She was a native of Kerala was pursuing an integrated MA program at the institute.

Fathima was staying at the Sarayu hostel at the campus. Following the incident, the police, in its primary investigation, had revealed that Fathima was separated from her family for the first time and had scored poorly in her internal exam.