The family of 23-year-old Indian student Jaahnavi Kandula has been awarded a $29 million (around ₹262 crore) settlement by the city of Seattle, nearly three years after she was killed in a crash involving a police vehicle.
Jaahnavi, a student from Andhra Pradesh, was pursuing her master’s degree at the Seattle campus of Northeastern University when the incident took place on January 23, 2023. She was crossing the road when a police patrol car, responding to an emergency call, hit her at high speed. Reports said the vehicle was travelling far above the speed limit. She died at the scene.
The case sparked outrage both in India and the United States after body camera footage surfaced showing a police officer making insensitive remarks and laughing about the incident. The comments triggered widespread criticism and renewed debate over police conduct and accountability.
In 2024, Jaahnavi’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city, initially seeking $110 million in damages. After negotiations, the city agreed to settle for $29 million. A large portion of the amount is expected to be covered by insurance.
In a tragic development, Jaahnavi’s father, Kandula Srikanth, died of a heart attack just two days before news of the settlement became public. Family members said he had been under immense emotional stress since his daughter’s death and had been closely following the legal proceedings.
Jaahnavi is survived by her mother and younger sister. While the financial settlement brings a legal end to the case, it cannot undo the loss.
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