Shocking both India and the US, three years after Janhvi Kandula’s death, the city of Seattle has agreed to pay USD 29 million ( ₹262 crore) to his family in a settlement that arose out of a fatal police vehicle collision.
A photo of Janhvi Kandula is displayed with flowers. (AP)”Jhanvi Kandula’s death was heartbreaking, and the city hopes this financial settlement will bring some sense of closure to the Kandula family,” city attorney Erica Evans said in a statement Wednesday. “Jhanvi Kandula’s life mattered. It mattered to her family, her friends and our community.”
Kandula was working toward a master’s degree in information systems at Northeastern University’s Seattle campus.
Also Read | Who was Janhvi Kandula? How did he die in the Seattle accident?
What happened to Janhvi Kandula?On January 23, 2023, Janhvi Kandula, a 23-year-old graduate student at Northeastern University, was struck and killed by a patrol car driven by Seattle Police Officer Kevin Dave.
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According to reports, Dave was driving 74 mph (119 km/h) when he hit Kandula at the intersection of Dexer Avenue North and Thomas Street.
His body was reportedly dumped 100 feet (30 m) away.
The student was immediately rushed to Harborview Medical Center, but, according to reports, she succumbed to her injuries.
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Also Read | ₹262 crore settlement”> Family of Indian student Janhvi Kandula killed by US official gets ₹262 crore settlement of Rs
Why did Kandula’s death cause widespread outrage?There was widespread outrage Monday after the Seattle Police Department released body camera footage of the accused officer, Daniel Oderer, in which he can be heard joking and laughing about the incident.
In the video clip, Auderer — who serves as vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild — is said to be talking about the crash in a call with guild president Mike Solan. He laughed a few times after saying, “She’s dead.”
Towards the end of the clip, the officer can be heard saying, “Yeah, just write a check. Eleven thousand dollars. He was 26 anyway…his worth was limited.”
The police department also suspended the driving officer, who was cited for careless driving and ordered to pay a fine of USD 5,000. King County prosecutors declined to file criminal charges against him, saying they could not prove he was intentionally disregarding safety when he hit Kandula.
