Jaahnavi Kandula was a beacon of hope and ambition, a vivacious young Indian woman destined for great heights. An exemplary student about to complete her master’s degree, Jaahnavi was an adored daughter making her mark thousands of miles away from her Indian roots. In January, this promising life was tragically cut short when she was fatally struck by a city police car responding to a call in Seattle.
Eight months later, the pain is revisited as mourning friends and family are confronted by distressing body-worn police camera footage. In a shocking exchange, it was revealed that a Seattle officer suggested $11,000 as compensation for her death, an action that sparked nationwide wrath, particularly amongst the South Asian diaspora. The outrage fuelled rallies, political engagements, online petitions, and even caught the eye of high-profile celebrities such as Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar and Lilly Singh.
Distraught and appalled, Singh expressed on Instagram the immense heartbreak and injustice of Jaahnavi’s untimely demise, while questioning the apparent disregard for the value of Indian girls and women in society.
The day following the fatal incident, Officer Daniel Auderer was dispatched to determine if the officer involved had been impaired. Bodycam footage reveals Auderer sarcastically suggesting to write a check for $11,000 as compensation, laughingly devaluing Jaahnavi’s life, a comment he later rationalized as a mockery of lawyers.
Despite Auderer’s assertions that his comments were made without malice, the Seattle Community Police Commission has recommended the initiation of an unpaid leave for Auderer pending an investigation into his remarks. The Commission argues that no context could sufficiently justify Auderer’s unprofessional and inhumane comments.
Kandula’s family expressed deep distress upon hearing the unsettling comments on the bodycam footage. They firmly believe that every human life is invaluable and must not be belittled, more so during a time of grievous loss.
Echoing the call for justice and a thorough investigation, people marched through the streets of Seattle displaying “Justice for Jaahnavi” placards. Protests also took place in California and New York, denouncing the incident. Even the Indian Council of San Francisco demanded a comprehensive investigation into Kandula’s death and actions against those responsible.
In the wake of Kandula’s passing and Auderer’s callous remarks about it, Democratic US Rep. Ro Khanna invoked personal sentiments thanks to his immigrant background. He insisted on the infinite value of every Indian immigrant’s life and questioned the appropriateness of someone with limited value for human life serving in law enforcement.
In response to the public concern surrounding this situation, Auderer’s bodycam footage was made public on September 11 for transparency purposes. However, the officer involved in the tragic collision has yet to face criminal charges.
Born in Andhra Pradesh, India, Kandula moved to the United States in 2021 to pursue her master’s degree from Northeastern University, Seattle. On campus, she was admired for her ‘bubbly laugh’, her sense of humor, and her infectious personality. The university plans to award Kandula her degree posthumously and present it to her family, honoring the immense potential that was tragically lost. The university expressed that Jaahnavi “warmed the hearts of every person she came in contact with.”
Kandula was the sole child of a single mother who worked as an elementary school teacher in India. Despite earning less than $200 a month, her mother financed Kandula’s education and encouraged her to pursue higher studies in the US, intending to secure a promising future for her daughter abroad. These dreams, however, were brutally shattered on that fateful January day in Seattle.
