The student community of IISER Kolkata submitted their written objections to the director to certain members in the institute’s fact-finding team probing the alleged suicide of senior research fellow Anamitra Roy.

They alleged some names were of “doubtful credibility” as they were close to the accused supervisor, which could create a “conflict of interest.”

In their submission, they proposed alternative names for inclusion into the committee for a fair probe.

Roy, a third-year PhD scholar in the department of biological sciences and a resident of Shyamnagar in North 24-Parganas, was found unconscious inside a campus lab by friends last Thursday night, shortly he had posted a lengthy Facebook message announcing his decision to end his life “for peace”.

In the post, he accused senior PhD scholar Sourabh Biswas of bullying him and alleged that his supervisor Anindita Bhadra had protected the accused.

Roy died at AIIMS Kalyani the next morning.

On Sunday, the IISER Kolkata administration formed a fact-finding team comprising internal and external experts headed by IIIT Kalyani chairman Santanu Chattopadhyay to probe the death.

However, students objected strongly to Chattopadhyay’s inclusion, citing his “long-known proximity” to former dean of student affairs Ayan Banerjee, accused supervisor Bhadra’s husband.

“This could be a conflict of interest,” the students stated.

Students also objected to the inclusion of Mohit Prasad, dean of administration, and teachers Mousumi Das and Sumit Khanra, into the fact-finding team, citing their closeness to Bhadra.

They also requested the inclusion of Vikas Dagar, assistant medical superintendent of AIIMS Kalyani, into the fact-finding panel.

The students also urged the appointment of an external licensed clinical psychologist with no links to any of the parties involved.

No one from the IISER offered any comment on the students’ written demand.