- By Anushka Vats
- Thu, 14 Sep 2023 01:00 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The United States administration has assured the Indian government of quick investigation into the death of Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula in Seattle after she was hit by a speeding police car. The US government swung into action soon after India’s Ambassador to the US, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, strongly raised the issue at the highest level in Washington and sought prompt action on the killing of Kandula.
According to a report by the Seattle Times newspaper, Officer Kevin Dave was driving the vehicle at a speed of nearly 120 kmph when the accident took place. The Consulate General of India in San Francisco called the incident 'deeply troubling' and sought strict action.
Taking to social media X, the Consulate General of India in San Francisco wrote, "Recent reports including in media of the handling of Ms Jaahnavi Kandula’s death in a road accident in Seattle in January are deeply troubling. We have taken up the matter strongly with local authorities in Seattle and Washington State as well as senior officials in Washington DC for a thorough investigation and action against those involved in this tragic case. The Consulate and Embassy will continue to closely follow up on this matter with all concerned authorities."
Recent reports including in media of the handling of Ms Jaahnavi Kandula’s death in a road accident in Seattle in January are deeply troubling. We have taken up the matter strongly with local authorities in Seattle & Washington State as well as senior officials in Washington DC
— India in SF (@CGISFO) September 13, 2023
Meanwhile, a footage that went viral, shows Seattle Police Officers' Guild Vice President Daniel Auderer, speaking to the guild's president on a call and laughing. "She is dead" before bursting out into laughter and calling Kandula "a regular person". Bursting into laughter he said, "Yeah, just write a check. Eleven thousand dollars."
"That's not reckless for a trained driver," he said adding that he doesn't believe "she was thrown 40 feet either." He concludes with, "She was 26 anyway, she had limited value."
According to a GoFundMe, a fundraiser platform, the 23-year-old hailed from Adoni of Andhra Pradesh and was pursuing her master's degree at Northeastern University in Seattle.
"The family has nothing to say. Except I wonder if these men's daughters or granddaughters have value. A life is a life," the page quoted her uncle Ashok Kandula as saying.