Student suicide: IIT Madras says committed to fair play, DMK,

As political parties including the DMK staged protests on Friday pressing their demand for "a transparent" probe into the suicide of an IIT Madras student, the institution said it is extending full cooperation to the police investigation, transferred to the Central Crime Branch.

Asserting that it was committed to fair play, IIT Madras deplored social media trolling and rumours against it besides the "media trial" over the death of first year humanities student Fathima Latheef, who ended her life in the hostel on November 9.

Political parties have demanded a thorough probe after the family of the student, who hailed from Kerala, accused a faculty member of the IIT-M of driving her to commit suicide.

A day after the probe into the suicide was transferred to the Central Crime Branch, police officials, visited the campus in connection with the investigation.

Cadres of the DMK youth wing, Congress affiliated National Students Union of India and CPI's student wing, All India Students Federation staged protest demonstrations in front of the institute seeking justice for Fathima Latheef.

DMK cadres held placards embossed with images of Fathima and slogans like "besiege IIT protest; seeking justice for Fathima Latheef."
Several others including women activists waved placards that alleged, "it is not a suicide, it is institutional murder."
The IIT Madras, in a statement, here said the students, faculty, staff, and residents were deeply saddened and "extremely perturbed by the unfortunate and untimely demise of our student, Fathima Lathief, and the events that unfolded thereafter."
"IIT Madras is committed to do whatever is required as per law and ensure fair-play."