India has demanded justice for an Indian student who was killed by a Seattle police car in January. The student, Jaahnavi Kandula, was 23 years old and was studying at Northeastern University in Seattle.
Bodycam footage released by the Seattle Police Department shows that Officer Kevin Dave was driving 74 mph (more than 119 kmph) when he struck Kandula as she was crossing the street. Dave was responding to a report of an overdose at the time.
The footage also shows another officer, Daniel Auderer, laughing about Kandula’s death and dismissing any implication that Dave might be at fault. Auderer, who is the vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, said that Dave’s vehicle had been “going 50” and that “that’s not out of control.”
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
The Consulate General of India in San Francisco has called the incident “deeply troubling” and has demanded a thorough investigation. The Indian government has also said that it has “strongly” taken up the case with the US authorities.
The Seattle Police Department has launched an investigation into the incident. The King County prosecuting attorney’s office is also conducting a criminal review.
Kandula’s family has said that they are “devastated” by her death and that they want justice for their daughter. They have hired an attorney to represent them.
The case has sparked outrage in India, where many people are calling for the officers involved to be held accountable. The hashtag #JusticeForJaahnavi has been trending on Twitter.
The incident is a reminder of the need for police accountability in the United States. It is also a reminder of the dangers that immigrant communities face, particularly when they are interacting with law enforcement.
