Jaahnavi Kandula, an Andhra Pradesh native, was enrolled at the Northeastern University campus in South Lake Union to pursue a master’s degree. She was scheduled to graduate in December and had travelled to the US from Bengaluru in 2021 as part of a student exchange programme.
According to Seattle Times, Kandula was the child of a single mother who worked as an elementary school teacher. Kandula’s mother reportedly took debt so that she could go to the United States and get her Master’s degree.
According to Kandula’s uncle, she put her family’s needs first.
Jaahnavi Kandula, a graduate student at Northeastern University, was killed on January 23 in Seattle when Kevin Dave’s patrol cruiser struck her. She was 23 years old. According to accounts, Dave struck Kandula near the intersection of Dexter Avenue North and Thomas Street while travelling at 74 mph (119 kmph) in response to a complaint of an overdose. Her body was allegedly tossed more than 30 metres (100 feet) away.
The student was brought to Harborview Medical Centre right after, however, according to sources, she passed away from her injuries there.
The Seattle Police Department released video from accused officer Daniel Auderer’s body camera on Monday, and it has audio of him laughing and joking about the incident, sparking a huge uproar.
According to the video recording, Auderer, the vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, was on the phone with Mike Solan, the guild’s president, when the tragedy occurred. He said, “She is dead,” and then he laughed numerous times.
The policeman can be heard stating, “Yeah, just write a cheque. Eleven thousand dollars. She was 26 anyway…She had limited value.”
In the midst of the controversy, India on Wednesday called for a “thorough investigation” into the incident.
The treatment of Ms. Jaahnavi Kandula’s death in a car accident in Seattle in January has been the subject of several reports, including those in the media. We have forcefully raised the issue with senior officials in Washington DC, Seattle, and Washington State in order to have a complete investigation and take appropriate action against those responsible for this unfortunate situation. The Indian Consulate General in San Francisco posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that “The Consulate & Embassy will Continue to Closely Follow Up on This Matter With All Concerned Authorities.”