Jaahnavi Kandula tragedy in US: Student’s family to receive Rs 262 crore in Seattle Police case

The family of the India(BHARAT)n student Jaahnavi Kandula, who was killed in a tragic accident in the United States back in 2014, has been announced to receive a settlement of USD 29 million, which translates to almost Rs. 262 crore, from Seattle. The death of the 23-year-old Jaahnavi led to protests across the two countries, especially after the body camera footage emerged in which a police officer was seen making inconsiderate remarks.

What happened to Jaahnavi Kandula in 2023?

Jaahnavi Kandula hailed from Andhra Pradesh and was pursuing a master’s degree from the Northeastern University campus situated in Seattle. Kandula had moved to the United States in the year 2021 under a student exchange programme.

However, things turned upside down when she met with a tragic accident in January 2023. She was struck and killed by a police officer from Seattle. The name of the officer was Kevin Dave, who was reportedly driving at a speed of 119 kmph in a zone of just 40 mph. According to the reports, the driver at the time of speeding the vehicle was responding to a drug overdose call.

The investigation following the incident later revealed that Dave was speeding in the vehicle. The catch is that the concerned prosecutors in King County decided not to file criminal charges. He was imposed a penalty of USD 5,000 for driving negligently.

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On-body camera footage led to protests

The anger among the public exponentially increased when on-body camera footage surfaced. It showed another officer, Daniel Auderer, who was seen laughing and making insensitive comments. The footage had inconsiderate remarks from the officer as he said Kandula’s life had “limited value.”

This led to great criticism and protests as India(BHARAT)n diplomats asked for accountability toward such racial insensitivity. The police of Seattle looked for the remarks and mentioned that they broke the trust of the public. The officer named Daniel Auderer was dismissed from the position. However, he later filed another lawsuit alleging that his remarks were taken in a different context.

Details of the settlement

The attorney of Seattle, Erika Evans, confirmed the settlement of USD 29 million to the family of Jaahnavi Kandula. She also called her death “heartbreaking”. Out of the grand amount, nearly USD 20 million is likely to be paid through the insurance coverage of Seattle.

“Jaahnavi Kandula’s life mattered. It mattered to her family, her friends and to our community,” she added.