The Indian Consulate in San Francisco expressed deep concern regarding recent reports, including media coverage, concerning the handling of Jaahnavi Kandula’s tragic death. India has called for a comprehensive investigation into the death of Jaahnavi Kandula, an Indian-origin student who lost her life in Seattle, United States, in January of this year. This demand comes in the wake of reports, including a purported video, in which a police officer was seen making jokes and laughing about the incident.
The Consulate General of India in San Francisco issued a statement on Wednesday, emphasizing the troubling nature of the recent reports related to Jaahnavi Kandula’s death. The statement declared:
“We have raised this issue strongly with local authorities in Seattle and Washington State, as well as with senior officials in Washington DC, calling for a thorough investigation and action against those involved in this tragic case. The Consulate and Embassy will remain closely engaged with all relevant authorities to monitor progress on this matter.”
Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old graduate student, tragically lost her life on January 23 when she was struck by a patrol car driven by police officer Kevin Dave in Seattle. According to reports, Dave was operating the vehicle at a speed of 74 mph (119 kmph), and the impact propelled the student’s body more than 100 feet (30 meters) away.
The incident sparked widespread outrage after the Seattle Police Department released footage from the body camera of accused officer Daniel Auderer on Monday. In the video clip, Auderer, who also serves as the vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, can be heard discussing the accident in a conversation with the guild’s president, Mike Solan.
During the conversation, Auderer is heard saying, “she is dead,” followed by laughter. Towards the end of the clip, Auderer can be heard saying, “Yeah, just write a check. Eleven thousand dollars. She was 26 anyway…She had limited value,” as reported by news agency ANI.
