Vijayawada: Nearly three years after 23-year-old Telugu student Jaahnavi Kandula was killed after she was hit by a police car in Seattle and an officer was caught on camera laughing about her death, authorities of Washington state's largest city have decided to pay $29 million (about Rs 262 crore) as compensation to her family.
But in a heartbreaking twist, Jaahnavi's father, police constable Kandula Srikanth, passed away on Feb 10, just two days before the settlement became public. Today, the Kandula family faces a painful reality — a settlement in crores, but no daughter who would return with a US degree and no father to witness the long-awaited closure.
Seattle city attorney Erica Evans confirmed the settlement this week, describing Jaahnavi's death as "deeply saddening" and expressing hope that the agreement would offer some relief to her grieving family. A joint motion seeking court approval of the settlement was filed recently, marking a major development in a case that drew international outrage.
Jaahnavi, a native of Halvi village in Kowthalam mandal of AP's Kurnool district, moved to the US in 2021 for a masters degree at Northeastern University's Seattle campus. On the night of Jan 23, 2023, she was crossing a road when she was struck by a speeding police patrol vehicle. The car, driver by officer Kevin Dave, was travelling at 119 kmph in a 40-km zone. The impact threw her nearly 100 feet, killing her instantly.
The tragedy triggered widespread anger after body camera footage revealed another officer, Daniel Auderer, vice president of the Seattle Police Officers Guild, laughing and making insensitive remarks about her death. The comments sparked condemnation in both India and the US, and Auderer was later removed from duty.
Community organisations, including the Telugu Association of North America (TANA), extended support to the family and demanded accountability. Political leaders from Andhra Pradesh also sought diplomatic intervention to ensure a fair probe.
For Jaahnavi's father, however, the legal battle and public outrage did little to ease his grief. He was under immense emotional strain since his daughter's death and went on long leave. He was recently posted as head constable at Guntakal and was on his way to assume charge when he suffered a heart attack after boarding an autorickshaw from Guntakal railway station.
Family members said he silently carried the weight of his loss. "He struggled everyday after Jaahnavi's death," said Sridhar, uncle of Jaahnavi, adding that it was particularly tragic he did not live to know that the compensation was finally granted.
Jaahnavi has a sister five years younger than her.
Venu Lanka is a special correspondent, at The Times of India-Vija...
Read MoreVenu Lanka is a special correspondent, at The Times of India-Vijayawada. He covers developments related to VMC/APCRDA, Janasena, education, health, endowments, and agriculture-related stories. He holds two graduate degrees, one in business management and another in law. He completed his post-graduation in journalism and mass communication, apart from completing short-term courses.
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