Family of Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula, killed by US officer, gets ₹262 crore settlement

Her death led to massive outrage and protests in 2023. The outrage grew after a body camera footage from another officer surfaced, in which the officer laughed.

The city of Seattle in Washington has reached a $29 million settlement (nearly ₹262 crore) with the family of Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old student from India who was run over and killed by a speeding police officer while crossing a street in the United States in 2023.

The city of Seattle has reached a $29 million settlement with the family of Jaahnavi Kandula,

In a statement on Wednesday, city attorney Erika Evans said, “Jaahnavi Kandula’s death was heartbreaking, and the city hopes this financial settlement brings some sense of closure to the Kandula family.”

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

What happened to Jaahnavi Kandula?

Kandula was from Andhra Pradesh and was studying for a master’s degree at the Northeastern University campus in South Lake Union. She had travelled to the United States from Bengaluru in 2021 under a student exchange programme and was expected to graduate this December.

She was struck by officer Kevin Dave, who was reportedly driving at speeds of up to 119 kmph (74 mph) in an area where the limit was 40 kmph (25-mph). He was responding to a drug overdose call at the time.

Her death led to massive outrage and protests in 2023. The outrage grew after a body camera footage from another officer surfaced, in which the officer laughed and said Kandula’s life had “limited value” and that the city should “just write a check.”

Outrage over Jaahnavi Kandula’s death

Indian diplomats called for an inquiry into the incident. The city’s civilian oversight body later said the comments by Officer Daniel Auderer, who was also a union leader, harmed the department’s reputation and weakened public trust.

Auderer was dismissed from service and later filed a lawsuit against the city claiming wrongful termination. He said his remarks were meant to criticise how lawyers might respond to the case.

The police department also dismissed the officer who was driving. He was cited for negligent driving and directed to pay a fine of $5,000. King County prosecutors chose not to file felony charges, stating they could not prove he had knowingly ignored safety when he hit Kandula.

About $20 million of the settlement is expected to be paid through the city’s insurance.

With inputs from agencies