(Image source from: Timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

The city of Seattle has settled for $29 million (about Rs 262 crore) with the family of a 23-year-old Indian graduate student who was hit by a fast police officer while she was crossing the street in 2023. Jaahnavi Kandula was struck by Officer Kevin Dave, who was going as fast as 74 mph (119 kph) in a 25-mph (40-kph) area while answering a call about a drug overdose. He had his emergency lights flashing and was using his siren at intersections. “The loss of Jaahnavi Kandula was tragic, and the city hopes this settlement helps the Kandula family find some closure,” City Attorney Erika Evans stated on Wednesday. “Jaahnavi Kandula's life was important. It was important to her family, her friends, and our community. ” Kandula was pursuing a master's degree in information systems at Northeastern University's Seattle location. The lawyers for Kandula's family did not respond right away to requests for comments via email or phone. The involved parties submitted a settlement notice to King County Superior Court last Friday. The local news site PubliCola was the first to report on this agreement.

Kandula's death led to anger and protests, especially after a video from another officer’s body cam was released. In this video, the officer laughed and remarked that Kandula’s life had “limited value” and suggested the city should “just write a check. ” Indian diplomats called for an investigation. The city's civilian oversight group determined that the comments made by Officer Daniel Auderer, who was also a union leader, harmed the department’s image and weakened public confidence. Auderer was later let go from his job and has filed a lawsuit against the city for wrongful dismissal. He claimed his comments were meant to criticize how lawyers might react to the tragedy. The police department also dismissed the officer who was driving, who received a citation for careless driving and was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine. King County prosecutors decided not to bring felony charges against him, stating they couldn't prove he deliberately ignored safety when he hit Kandula.