CHENNAI:The investigation into the suicide by a first year IIT-Madras
girl student at her hostel in the campus was transferred to the Central Crime Branch
(CCB) wing of the city police, even as leaders of various political parties demanded
a transparent probe into it.
Talking to reporters after inspecting the hostel where the girl student, Fathima Latif, ended her life two days back, Chennai City Police Commissioner A K Viswanathan
said police interrogated some people in the campus in connection with the incident.
He said "to unravel the truth behind the suicide, the probe has been transferred to
the CCB", he added.
Several student organisations staged a protest outside the IIT-Madras
in the city condemning the increasing rate of suicides in the campus and demanded
a thorough probe.
About 50 SFI members were arrested by the police when they squatted on the arterial
road and attempted to stage a dharna.
Meanwhile, leaders of various political parties, including DMK President M K Stalin,
PMK Founder S Ramadoss and CPI State Secretary R Mutharasan expressed concern over the increase in suicides in the IIT-M campus.
In a statement here, Stalin demanded a transparent and fair probe into the suicide
of Fathima Latif.
Stating that a time frame should be fixed to complete the probe, he said the remarks
of her parents that their daughter was subjected to religious discrimination by a faculty member, has shattered the belief of Tamil soil.
Ramadoss, in a statement here, said the role of the two Professors, named by the
student, in the suicide should be probed.
Stating that 14 students have committed suicide at IIT-M in the last 10 years, he said
the police should find out the reasons behind this and take steps to prevent such
incidents.
CPI(M) State Secretary K Balakrishnan, Manitheneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) leader
M H Jawahiruallah and other leaders also demanded a thorough probe into the incident.