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Jaahnavi Kandula was on the cusp of achieving her master's degree from Northeastern University's South Lake Union campus in December. However, her promising life was tragically cut short in a fatal road accident. The heart-wrenching incident occurred when she was crossing a street in Seattle, United States, and was struck and killed by a police car travelling at a speed of 74 mph in January of this year.
Jaahnavi Kandula, a 23-year-old hailing from Adoni city in Andhra Pradesh's Kurnool district, had been raised by her single mother, who worked as an elementary school teacher. Her aspiration was to attain a master's degree in the United States and subsequently assist her mother in shouldering the family's financial responsibilities.
Ashok Mandula, Kandula's uncle, conveyed that her foremost priority was to support her family. He was quoted by the Seattle Times shortly after the heart-wrenching accident, saying, "Her priority was to help her family."
The university where Kandula was pursuing her studies remembered her as an exceptional student who had formed close bonds with many of her peers.
David Thurman, the dean of Northeastern's Seattle campus, had this to say about her: "Jaahnavi is remembered as a stellar student and a delightful and effervescent human being. She was a close friend to many, and friends shared that they loved her bubbly laugh, sense of humour, and infectious personality." He also expressed that her loss would be profoundly felt by students, staff, and faculty across the campus.
Tragedy struck when Jaahnavi Kandula was using the crosswalk to traverse from east to west and was struck by a Seattle Police officer travelling north. The officer had been responding to a "priority one" call, as reported by the Seattle Police Department. A "priority one" call is the highest level of urgency and typically involves a life-threatening situation.
Emergency responders made efforts to resuscitate Kandula through CPR, but tragically, she succumbed to her injuries later that fateful night.
On the same night, her uncle, Ashok Mandula, swiftly travelled to Seattle to make arrangements for the repatriation of Kandula's body to India.
Almost eight months after the devastating road accident claimed Jaahnavi Kandula's life, her tragic demise has once again captured headlines. This renewed attention stems from an investigation initiated by a Seattle Police oversight body into the audio captured on body cameras, in which officers are heard making insensitive remarks and downplaying the significance of Kandula's death.
Officer Daniel Auderer of the Seattle Police Officers Guild had been tasked with assessing whether Kevin Dave, the officer who struck Jaahnavi Kandula with his vehicle, was under the influence of drugs. Auderer ultimately concluded that his fellow officer was not impaired.
However, after completing his routine analysis, Auderer placed a call to another police official and inadvertently left his body camera activated. As a result, his side of the conversation was recorded and is audible in the body-camera footage that was released recently.
In this disturbing audio, the police officer can be heard making callous remarks about the fatal crash, including insensitive comments such as "she had limited value" and suggesting that the city should simply "write a check."
The release of this audio has sparked widespread outrage and condemnation.
The Consulate General of India in San Francisco, in response to this deeply distressing incident and the viral audio capturing the officer's insensitive comments, has expressed profound concern. The Consulate General has stated that they are taking strong action by engaging with local authorities in Seattle and Washington State, as well as senior officials in Washington DC. Their aim is to ensure a thorough investigation into this tragic case and appropriate measures against those involved.
