Seattle, Feb 12 (WE THE NAGAS): The city of Seattle in the United States has agreed to a USD 29 million (around ₹260 crore) settlement with the family of Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old Indian graduate student who was struck and killed by a speeding police officer in January 2023.
Kandula, who was pursuing her master’s degree in information systems at Northeastern University’s Seattle campus, was hit by a police car driven by Officer Kevin Dave, who was reportedly responding to a drug overdose call at about 119 km/h (74 mph) in a 40 km/h (25 mph) zone when the fatal collision occurred.
In announcing the settlement, City Attorney Erika Evans described Kandula’s death as “heartbreaking” and said the agreement was intended to bring some measure of closure to her family. “Jaahnavi Kandula’s life mattered — to her family, her friends and to our community,” she said.
Kandula’s death sparked wide outrage and protests in both the U.S. and India, particularly after body-camera footage from another officer surfaced in which he was heard making insensitive remarks about her life’s value. That officer was later fired, and his comments were condemned for damaging public trust.
About USD 20 million of the settlement is expected to be covered by the city’s insurance, with the remainder to be paid by municipal funds, concluding years of legal proceedings since the tragic incident.